You're my only exception
by starrylambs
Summary: I fail at summaries, so just read it Lol. Reviews are more than welcome.
1. Chapter 1

_Rachel leaned in tantalisingly slow, hands resting gently on either side of Quinn's trembling face. Warm brown orbs found hazel and as their gazes locked Rachel brushed her lips lightly over Quinn's, who sighed quietly in contentment. The diva pulled back until their foreheads were touching and whispered "I love you Quinn". Quinn sucked in a surprised breath and without thinking replied "I love you too Rachel._

**Beep .. Beep ..Beep. Quinn sat bolt upright in bed, panting, as she scanned her room, as if Rachel were hiding behind her curtains with a video camera. Recognising that she was acting slightly insane she took a few deep breaths trying to calm her now frantically beating heart. She glanced at the bedside clock. 6:30am. She was going to be late if she didn't haul ass. Sighing loudly, she tossed aside her bedcovers and reluctantly began her daily routine. She stepped under the warm spray of the shower and began vigorously shampooing. As she watched the suds circle the drain, she began to think about the dream that had awoken her. That dream. **

**The same dream that had haunted her for the past two weeks, invading her thoughts during the most random of moments. At first she thought that maybe she was having nightmares which would explain why Berry showed up, but after a few nights of the same scenario, she realised it was not exactly scaring her. However, reaching this conclusion, did scare her. **

**She had tried and tried to think about what could have triggered this sudden barrage of dreams. And after a few hours contemplation she admitted to herself that these night-time visions had happened after Rachel sang that song in glee. The Only Exception. It was a beautiful rendition and Quinn found herself completely transfixed as the brunette poured her heart and soul into each word. After the song finished Quinn quickly caught herself and plastered her trademark smirk firmly in place. But that didn't mean, that in that moment, she was utterly taken in by the pintsized diva. **

**She felt herself connecting to the words like she never had before. But that didn't mean that she liked Berry now, it was just her voice. Besides she was obviously singing that song to Finn, her boyfriend. She had simply appreciated the other girls performance. With this comforting thought, Quinn stepped out of the shower ready to face the day.**

**That day Quinn went through her daily routine of intimidation and cheerleading. The two seemed to go hand in hand. After screaming at a few newly recruited Cheerio's, and screaming at Santana to fix her goddamn ponytail, she was feeling much better when she stepped into Glee that day. As soon as she swaggered through the choir room door, she could tell something was wrong. Finn and Rachel were standing feet apart both red in the face and screaming at each other.**

"**I know it wasn't about me Rachel! Just tell me who it is!" bellowed Finn.**

"**My musical inspiration has absolutely nothing to do with you Finn, if I gave away all my secrets my position as lead in this club could be in jeopardy, do you want that to happen!" screeched Rachel defensively. Quinn raised her eyebrow and took a seat beside Mercedes and Brittany. **

"**What happened to Rupaul and Finn?" inquired Quinn, watching Finn fumble to find a response. Mercedes stopped shovelling popcorn into her mouth long enough to mumble "check it that song last week Rachel sang, yano the only exception or whatever, well it wasn't for Finn." "And he got pretty mad" chirped Brittany, stating the obvious. Quinn rolled her eyes, and turned her gaze back to the bickering couple.**

"**Well if you won't tell me who it was about then you obviously don't care about me, we're through Rachel .." snapped Finn, stomping clumsily from the room. Rachel simply stood there staring at the door for a long time. She was so predictable, thought Quinn. **

"**Any second now she's going to go run after him and beg for forgiveness". **

**That's why the Cheerio was shocked to see Rachel slowly turn around, lock eyes with the blonde, then sit down next to Artie and stare unseeingly at the whiteboard. Quinn glanced around wondering if anybody was going to go comfort the obviously upset diva. However, one look was enough to tell her that nobody was paying the brunette any attention now that the show had ended. Britney and Santana were quietly playing strip poker in the corner, Artie was engaged in conversation with Tina and Mike, and Mercedes and Kurt were discussing which one of them was the biggest cliché. Looking back at Rachel she felt a pang of sympathy, had that been anyone of them that was hurt, Rachel would be fussing over them, possibly enlisting the help of the school nurse and writing a letter of complaint to the person who had upset them. Quinn chuckled inwardly, then stopped as she watched Rachel quietly wiping a solitary tear from her trembling cheek. **

"**I should go comfort her" thought Quinn randomly. The blonde quickly shook her head trying to banish this unnerving thought. Yet it wouldn't fade and she suddenly felt herself standing up and wending her way towards the teary brunette.**

**She saw Rachel look up hopefully searching for the kind soul come to comfort her. Her hopeful expression changed to that of weariness as she saw that it was Quinn who stood before her. **

"**Whatever insult you plan on throwing my way, can you just save it till tomorrow. I think I've had enough joy for one day" sniffed Rachel quietly.**

**Quinn squirmed inwardly. "**

"**That's that Rachel thinks I want to do?" she cringed. "I need to tell her that I'm sorry, that I'm sorry this has happened her", thought Quinn.**

"**Rachel .. I-" began Quinn. Just as she was about to offer the brunette a shoulder to cry on, Mr Schue practically bounced into the room and cut her off.**

"**Hey guys! I have an awesome mash up for you today, and don't worry it's not a boring old song, it's rap! So I'll be able to sing with you" he smiled, as if that was everyone's dream come true.**

"**Quinn why are you standing there?" questioned Mr Schue, who was pulling song sheets out of his bag.**

**Quinn looked back at Rachel, who was staring at her as if she were wondering the same thing.**

"**I.. I just dropped one of my pencils and uh ..thought I saw it.." she trailed off sitting back in her seat.**

"**Oh .. ok.. well let's get started gang!" the oily-haired man-child practically yelled. **

**Quinn looked down at her song sheet. The song was "I'll stand by you". As she club began singing the opening verse, she looked down at Rachel and wondered if she would be ok.**


	2. Chapter 2

After being forced to sing, actually scratch that after being forced to **rap **Eminem with the disaster that was Mr Schue, Quinn made her way through the sea of admiring students to her locker. After retrieving her English book, and ticking off another day until Sectionals, which she had taken to doing lately on a little calendar she kept on the door of her locker, she dawdled in the hallway, sure that Rachel would arrive any minute. She had decided to try and cheer Rachel up, god knows why, she just felt sort of sorry for the outcast. Besides, mused the blonde, we're going to need her to win Sectionals. Of course that's she was helping RuPaul out.

Sure enough mere seconds later, the brunette slouched into site, dragging her heels while staring at the floor like she wished it would just swallow her up. Quinn felt a pang of sympathy and watched as Rachel opened her locked and attempted to bury her head inside.

"Forever the drama Queen" thought Quinn amusedly.

She waited until Rachel was done with her locker, and had begun walking towards her next class, when she allowed herself to fall into step beside her.

"Why so glum manhands?" the blonde asked cringing, she had meant to call her Rachel.

Rachel jumped slightly and turned a light shade of red.

"If you must know Finn broke up with me. Not that you need me to tell you that, i'm sure you caught the live show during Glee. Now i'll be stuck with Ben Jacob Israel forever " shuddered the brunette, going momentarily crosseyed as she pictured it.

Ignoring the horrific image that had sprung into her mind, Quinn glanced at Rachel and replied.

"Yeah i heard. It was kinda hard not to, i'm surprised it didn't happen sooner to be honest" the cheerleader stated calmly.

Quinn spotted the diva lower her gaze to the floor once more and tug at a lock of her hair, seemingly absorbing what the blonde had just said.

"What you really mean Quinn, is your wondering why a popular quarterback like him stuck around with a loser like me for as long as he did aren't you?" muttered Rachel bitterly.

That stung. Was Quinn really that mean? Here she was trying to comfort the brunette and she was somehow making it worse, she decided it was time to end the conversation.

"No Berry. Believe it or not i'm surprised YOU stuck with him for that long" stated Quinn matter of factly. She laughed internally at the look of surprise on the diva's face whose mouth had falled open in a perfect O. "That wasn't so bad" Quinn thought as she walked away leaving the brunette in serious danger of catching flies with that open mouth.

The blonde didn't turn around to catch the small smile that had suddenly appeared on the diva's face who turned and quickly rushed to Maths.


	3. Chapter 3

Quinn felt much better about herself as she walked towards her car after school that afternoon. Humming some unknown song to herself, she unlocked the door and sat in. She turned on the radio, and still humming buckled her seatbelt. Reflexively, she adjusted the rear view mirror to check her reflection. Then she screamed. For looking back at her was a pair of chocolate brown orbs watching her intently.

"Rachel WHAT THE HELL!" screamed Quinn trying to stop the approaching heart attack.

Rachel took advantage of the blonde's temporary silence and scrambled ungracefully into the front passengers seat.

"While I am sorry for scaring you, it is necessary that we speak immediately following our conversation in the hallway. I would also like to point out that as a young girl driving home alone, you should always observe the third golden rule of horror movies and always check the backseat lest there be an axe-wielding murderer lurking there. Or something similarly sinister. I for one keep a rape whistle and mallet in my glove compartment" stammered the diva nervously.

"By something similarly sinister, did you mean yourself manhands?" Quinn smirked, having finally regained her breath.

"Do you have to turn everything into an insult against me Quinn? I was only trying to give you some friendly advice." Muttered Rachel quietly, moving her face to gaze out the window.

Quinn raised her eyebrow and glanced at the smaller girl, she looked like a child who had just been told that Christmas was cancelled. Settling more comfortably into her chair and switching her gaze so that she was now facing the windscreen, that was being peppered with tiny droplets of glistening rain.

"Ok Berry, I'll bite. Why are you "lurking" in my car" questioned Quinn as gently as she could without sounding interested.

Rachel was silent for so long that Quinn was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to speak. Then finally the diva glanced at the blonde cheerleader and quirked an eyebrow.

"Did you really mean what you said in the hall?" muttered Rachel.

"Yeah your hands are kind of manly, hence the name" joked Quinn deliberately misunderstanding the question.

Rachel sighed and leaned against the window again.

"That's not the bit I was talking about Quinn."

Silence fell between the two girls. Quinn sat listening to the pitter patter of the rain against the roof of the car wondering how to answer the question. After a brief deliberation Quinn decided to just be honest.

"Yeah. I meant it." Whispered Quinn.

Quinn thought the girl must have gotten whiplash from how fast her head whipped round to meet her gaze. After a few moments of silent staring, the brunette cleared her throat self-consciously and opened her mouth to respond.

"Why did you say that Quinn?" murmured Rachel barely moving her lips.

"Because I-"

Just as she had begun to speak, the passenger door was flung open, causing the brunette to topple backwards out of the car and on to the sodden concrete with a heavy thump.

"Oh hey treasure trail, while your down there feel free to kiss my shoes. On second thought, don't, cause then I would have to burn them "sneered Santana, all hand gestures and bobbing ponytails.

Rachel huffed insulted, picked herself up off the ground and stalked across the lot towards her own car. Santana chuckling manically all the while.

"Hey Q, why was IT in your car?" asked Santana catching her breath and narrowing her eyes awaiting Quinn's reaction.

Quinn mentally shook herself at the shock of the last couple of minutes and turned to face Santana.

"How should I know? She was probably looking for tips on getting Finn back or something. Who knows what goes on in that things head" snapped Quinn nastily.

"Oh well that sounds like Berry alright" stated Santana looking slightly mollified. "I gotta go find Brit before she drinks the toilet water again, later Q."

Quinn watched Santana wander back into the school and sighed. Starting the engine of the car, the blonde drove home ,trying to block the images of Rachel's face as Santana insulted into her.

The cheerio put everything Berry-related to the back of her mind and went through her usual routine which consisted of a silent dinner with her parents, finishing her homework, and checking her facebook.

It wasn't until much later when Quinn was in bed and her mind was unprotected that a thought struck her. Why had she said that to Rachel?


	4. Chapter 4

Rachel began her usual day of being bullied, slushied and hounded by Finn for a second chance. By the time school ended, she was exhausted and on the verge of tears. She wasn't usually this sensitive, but ever since she had that talk with Quinn yesterday, she felt hurt.

She had only pretended to walk back to her car yesterday, instead she had crouched, concealed, behind a nearby Volvo. She had heard every word Quinn said to Santana about her. Each word was like a slap in the face. T

he brunette thought she was finally getting somewhere with the cheerleader, apparently not_. Was it that hard to give her a compliment, without having to balance it out with three insults?_

After a brief mental pep talk Rachel slammed shut her locker, ready to face the world. Well, Glee club at least. She strode purposefully towards the choir room, her mind full of the solos she intended to blindside Mr Schue about. When she reached the choir room she hesitated. _C'mon Rachel you do this everyday, your the star, your the star. _Taking a deep breath, she stepped lithely into the room and strode towards her seat, eyes never leaving the floor.

"Hey manhands" barked Santana.

"What do you want Santana?" replied the brunette through clenched teeth.

"Oh I was just wondering, did you mean to dress like that, or do your dads still have free rein over what you wear?"

Rachel finally looked up, and quickly wished she hadn't. Everyone was laughing at her, looking her up and down as if she were something on the end of their shoe. Even Finn was guffawing stupidly in the background. She glanced at Quinn and her heart lifted slightly, the blonde cheerleader wasn't laughing along, she was looking at the wall with a slightly glazed look in her eye.

Meanwhile, the Latina had finally regained the use of her voice and watched the diva for her reaction. Seeing a slight smile on the brunette's face, she followed her line of view and saw that Quinn wasn't laughing at her joke. Frowning, Santana nudged the blonde, who jumped as though she had been electrocuted and jerked her head towards Rachel. Quinn knew what Santana wanted.

_God I really hate this, why can't everyone just leave her alone?_ Thought the cheerleader sighing. However, she knew she had to approve of what the Latina had said to keep up appearances and with that in mind, she slipped into bitch mode.

"Yeah treasure trail, I think even blind people could coordinate better than you" said Quinn maliciously.

The smile vanished from the diva's face immediately. She glanced at the cheerleader, then rose quietly and left the room to the sound of raucous laughter.

The brunette had felt like something inside her had broken. Like some sort of talisman she had been carrying, had fallen and shattered into a million pieces before her tear-filled eyes. She found herself walking towards the swimming pool and not really knowing why. She entered the room quietly and stepped to the very edge of the water. She could tell that the room was completely deserted from a quick glance, she lowered her head to the water and gazed at her own reflection staring miserably back at her. She stared so intently at her face, that the picture seemed to distort and shift before her. She blinked. It was then she realized, her tears were what shook the reflection. A stream of hot tears poured down either cheek, dripping rapidly into the pool and mixing with the clear blue water.

Ironically, the girl who had to be the best at everything had never learned how to swim. She laughed bitterly. Reflexively she glanced round, she had the feeling someone was watching her, but when she looked, the room was still deserted. She had been sitting by the pool for almost an hour, Glee had ended, everybody would be gone home. She was alone. Suddenly she stood up, every word, every taunt, every slushy-filled day chasing each other on the inside of her brain. She shut her eyes trying to banish the thoughts, but it was no use, burned on the inside of her eyelids was Quinn. Quinn laughing at her, pointing at her, making her feel like she was a burden, like she shouldn't be alive. The brunette's head snapped up, and with nothing more left to give, she jumped.

Everything was wonderfully clear and cool, she was floating as though in a dream. _I wonder if they'll even miss me. _She thought absentmindedly. She opened her eyes and gazed at the small blue and white tiles that surrounded her on every side, she began counting, _15, 16, 17 .._Suddenly the last of her oxygen reserves depleted and the brunette began to panic, the chlorine was stinging her eyes, her clothes which had felt so light was suddenly weighing her down, dragging her to the very depths of the pool. She struggled helplessly against her own weight, and suddenly broke the surface of the pool, gasping in quick delicious lung full's of air. This respite lasted mere seconds as she was once again dragged down by her heavy water-sodden clothes. She was now lying on the very floor of the pool, large streams of bubble issuing from her nose and mouth, no energy left. _This is the end _she thought. And passed out.


	5. Chapter 5

Quinn sobbed silently as the coffin was lowered into the ground, a single white rose resting gently against the polished wood. So young and innocent. Dressed entirely in black the cheerleader was the perfect picture of grieving friend. She listened as the priest began his slow lilting speech about how great she was, about how popular and liked she was among her fellow peers. About how her voice was something that would be eternally preserved in the hearts of those that loved her. Sobs came from all sides as Mr Schue threw a handful of damp earth onto the coffin, his face a mask of grief and regret. She was one of his most difficult and talented girls. Could glee club survive without her voice?

The cheerleader finally took in her surroundings, trying to ignore the stark reality in front of her. She saw Santana and Brittany, both crying, both holding each other. As she watched she saw Santana look deep into her girlfriends eyes and squeeze her hand. Quinn thought she knew what the Latina was thinking.

Next to them stood Puck, tall and composed. But the blonde knew better, he would cry later when he was alone and had time to reflect, after all he had dated her however brief it may have been. He had always had a soft spot for the diva.

On Puck's left stood Finn, lanky, awkward and emotional. He was openly sobbing into his hands, this was the second funeral he had been too, the first being his father's. And now another loved one had lost their life.

Holding hands just behind Finn was Tina and Artie. Both of them gently dabbing their eyes with handkerchiefs, both staring unseeingly at the grave.

At the head of the open mound stood Kurt, shaking slightly as he sang his rendition of "Arms of the Angel". He had worn a plain black suit in respect of his friend. His eyes shut tight with barely controlled emotion.

Quinn shut her eyes and thought about Rachel. She had jumped in the pool that day to kill herself, the blonde believed that without a shadow of a doubt. She could remember every minute detail of that day.

_When she had stepped into Glee she sensed this would be a difficult day. She heard Santana mocking Rachel, she had heard the laughter of the entire club. She knew she should have been laughing, playing along but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She locked eyes with the brunette, she had looked hopeful, hopeful that maybe the cheerleader wouldn't join in. And for a moment the blonde was tempted to return her small smile, to say "Everything's fine. Don't listen to them." But of course she didn't, and that made all the difference. _

_She watched as Rachel's last chance was crushed. The brunette had cringed and folded in on herself. The blonde watched the spark vanish from those big brown eyes, and it terrified her more than anything. After Rachel had left the room without so much as a backwards glance, Quinn knew that she had gone to far, she had to apologize. She waited until Glee was over, spending the hour deep in contemplation, wondering what she could possibly say to ignite that spark again. _

_Quinn spent a few minutes wandering the school until she heard faint sobbing coming from the pool. She quietly eased the door open and stepped inside, spotting the diva sitting at the edge of the pool crying. The blonde, sensing the diva needed a bit more time, hid herself behind the pool floats and watched. She saw the diva stand up suddenly and throw herself forward into the rippling water. Quinn had smirked from her hiding place, expecting Rachel to pop up at any second shouting "April fools!" _

_A full minute had passed and the blonde began to worry, the smirk swiftly changing into a mask of worry. She was just about to run over and jump in, when she brunette promptly bobbled to the surface. The cheerleader hastily leapt back behind the floats in case the diva had spotted her when she resurfaced. Quinn took a couple of relieved breaths and turned back to peer around the corner. Panic bubbled back to the surface in the split second it took her to realize that the brunette had disappeared again._

_Years of cheerleading reflexes came to the blondes aid as she sprinted towards the pool, not even bothering to take off her shoes she dove headfirst into the pool, hazel eyes quickly scanned the pool and she zoomed in on a mass of brown hair floating at the end of the pool. She swam as fast as she could, her lungs were burning, but she ignored them. She grabbed hold of the brunette's waist and tugged. The brunette floated easily alongside her and Quinn kicked out for the surface. The blonde broke the surface first and gasped in great gulps of air while dragging Rachel towards the pools edge. Rolling the tiny body over the rim, she pulled herself up and knelt beside the body. She lifted one of the diva's lids, her pupil was unresponsive, grabbing her wrist she quickly checked for a pulse. She thought she detected a faint beat and gasped in relief. With a sudden surge of energy the blonde began mouth to mouth frantically beating the diva's heart back to life. She could remember the overwhelming panic as Rachel remained unresponsive, she felt the seconds ticking away. She remembered holding the diva and whispering over and over again "Please don't die Rachel ..please don't die.."_

Quinn was shook out of her reverie by a warm hand searching for her own. She grasped the welcome comfort and turned to look into a pair of tear-filled brown eyes locking with her own.

"Ready to go?" whispered Rachel gently.

Quinn looked around and noticed that only a few people remained.

"I'll follow you ok?" replied the blonde.

The diva gave her hand one last squeeze and slowly began walking up the steep slope towards the car park.

Quinn slowly walked to the grave and tossed a handful of earth into the deep chasm.

"Goodbye Mercedes" sobbed the blonde.


	6. Chapter 6

A few people seem confused by the last chapter so i shall explain lol. Quinn saved Rachel. And it's been a few months since she tried to kill herself. Mercedes then died. How she died will be explained in the next chapter. I did the chapter like that because i wanted you to think that it was Rachel that had died, I don't tell you it's Mercedes until the last moment. Hope that clears up any confusion?


	7. Chapter 7

Ever since Mercedes had been taken from them and Rachel's attempted suicide, New Directions tried everything they could to come together. They worked tirelessly, perfecting routines, polishing their vocals and helping each other deal. Each of them realized that life was short, it was fragile and precious, you could be hit by a bus tomorrow walking to school. Or like Mercedes, you could be the victim of a horrific car crash on the way to the cinema with your family. The group rallied round Rachel like a cluster of bees, protecting her from slushies and bullies alike. Artie rolled over Jacob Ben Israel with his wheelchair every time he hounded the fragile brunette for an interview, Puck and Finn tackled Karofsky into a dustbin the moment he began to jeer at her in the hallways, and Santana ordered the Cheerios to steer clear of anything to do with Glee club. But the biggest change of all was Quinn.

If the blonde caught so much as a whiff of trouble in Rachel's day, all hell broke loose.

_On the day the brunette had returned to school after her near death experience, a troll-like hockey player pretended to slit his wrists in front of her locker, which caused the brunette to tremble like a leaf and slink into a nearby toilet to sob her heart out. This is where the cheerleader had found her half an hour later, curled into a tight ball on the floor, her knees tucked under her chin, looking for all the world like a broken child. _

_Haltingly, rushed out between strangled sobs, Rachel told her what happened. The blonde regarded the brunette with tender eyes and covered her with her own cheerios jacket, she told the diva that she would get her books and then drive her home. The brunette nodded gently and tried to get up._

"_No. Stay here I'll come back for you" stated the blonde calmly._

"_You promise?" _

"_I promise."_

_The brunette shot her a watery smile then settled herself more comfortably on the ground. Quinn tucked the jacket around her and left the bathroom with murder in her heart._

_She tracked down the dumb jock after a few minutes, he was standing by his locker trying to remember the combination. _

"_You!" she practically screeched._

_He leapt in shock and turned around, seeing Quinn he smirked._

"_Hey sweet thang what can I do for you?" he said trying to be smooth and failing spectacularly. _

"_Oh I just wanted to tell you, that if you ever so much as look at Rachel again, I will knock your teeth so far back your throat that your gonna have to stick a toothbrush up your ass to brush your teeth you got it? it?" she snarled, eyes glittering malevolently. _

_He opened his mouth sneeringly to retort, but then he glimpsed Santana standing menacingly behind the blonde. She flexed her arms threateningly and he caved._

" _I ..ok. I'm sorry." He muttered bitterly._

"_Good." Said Quinn calm again._

_She turned to walk away then seemed to change her mind and turned to face him once more. _

"_Oh and you smell like a monkey" said Quinn punching him squarely in the face._

_He flew off the lockers and slid to the ground. She moved to stand over him and kicked him where the sun doesn't shine._

"_Also angels." With that said Quinn walked back down the hall towards Rachel's locker._

Every since that day the blonde had kept an eye on the brunette from afar. The diva never knew that the cheerleader spent everyday chasing up every single person who so much as sneezed beside the girl.

The rest of the Glee club noticed the silent camaraderie, but for the most part kept quiet. They didn't need a repeat of what happened in the swimming pool. Nobody knew exactly what they were now. Friends? Frenemies? Fellow students? More?

Only they knew.


	8. Chapter 8

Quinn sat in glee club once again, she was barely paying attention to anything around her. That happened a lot lately, she couldn't seem to focus, constantly drifting in and out of thought. She snapped out of her reverie long enough to shoot the brunette sitting beside her a companiable grin, the diva returned her smile and turned back to zone into Mr Schue's debate on which group song they would be performing at Friday's pep assembly.

The blonde really didn't know what was going on in her life anymore. Sure she was still head cheerleader, people still parted like the Red Sea when she graced the halls of McKinley with her presence. But there was no rhyme or rhythm to her social status anymore. She spent most of her time hanging around the group of "misfits" ironically dubbed New Directions. Because that's exactly what she felt like they offered her, a way out. A different path then the one that had been decided for her by her rigidly coordinated people who called themselves her parents. They stuck together, eased each others burdens, and besides the odd quip or innuendo, they pretty much stayed out of everyone else's business. They were too busy fighting their own demons. Then there was Rachel.

"_Please don't die Rachel ..please don't die .."_

Quinn was shocked that day to say the least. She had always admired how strong the diva really was, naive sure, innocent probably, but always strong. Always there to take the moral high ground. She could recall the overwhelming relief when the brunette had finally responded to her makeshift first aid that day.

"_Rachel! C'mon Rachel breathe." Quinn was at this point utterly hysterical, her only thought was "keep going, keep pumping, keep going .."_

_Eventually she felt the brunette stir beneath her. With a sudden gasp the diva's eyes shot open and she coughed up a small torrent of water._

_Quinn fell back to a sitting position and started panting exhaustedly. Never taking her eyes off the diva who had rolled onto her side, still retching, chest heaving. Her eyes were raw red and she looked like a drowned angel. At least that's what the blonde thought, then banished the thought, horrified. After a few moments the brunette finally looked at Quinn._

"_You saved me." _

_It wasn't a question. Nonetheless she saw Quinn nod, eyes still locked with the brunette's._

"_I guess my dads should have invested in swimming lessons huh?" rasped the diva in a painfully obvious attempt at breaking the tension._

_Quinn wasn't buying it._

"_Why did you do it?" the blonde probed gently, careful not to set the brunette off again, aware that the darker girl had cringed and shut her eyes tight._

_Rachel seemed to have realized that she wasn't going to get away with it that easily. Heaving a long suffering sigh, she sat up and ran a hand meekly through her sopping hair._

"_I'm going to answer your question Quinn, because you did just save my life. But I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell everybody else just yet. I'll tell them all in my own time. Or maybe not at all" she added as an afterthought._

_Quinn merely nodded and gestured for her to continue. She was shaking from fear and adrenaline but didn't dare leave._

_Rachel paused apparently gathering her thoughts and her gaze finally came to rest on the blonde._

_Eventually she took a calming breath and without emotion said;_

"_Seventy five."_

_The cheerleader quirked a questioning eyebrow._

"_Seventy five, is the amount of times I've been slushied since I started school this year."_

_Quinn winced perceptively but did not interrupt. The brunette seemed to be in full flow now, ploughing on mercilessly._

"_Fifty three, is the amount of times my fellow Glee members have mocked me. That club was meant to be my safe zone, a place I could go without being ridiculed. I guess even the outcasts can't stand me" she smiled bitterly and continued._

"_And finally, one." She ended now on the verge of tears once more._

_The blonde waited for her to elaborate, but when it became clear she wouldn't, she coaxed her gently._

"_One what Rachel?" she found herself whispering, inadvertently leaning closer as though worried she'd be overheard. Which was ridiculous, they were completely alone._

"_One, is the amount of compliments I've gotten this year, besides my Dads of course. Your the once who gave me it Quinn. When you told me that I was too good for Finn, well, it kind of cancelled out everything else. I was happy, happier at least. I thought somebody was finally on my side and it gave me the strength to deal with everything else." Rachel smiled lightly remembering the feeling._

_Quinn despite herself, felt herself returning the smile. _

_Then the brunette's face dropped, a haunted look in her eye._

"_And then, when we were in Glee and you weren't laughing along with everyone else, I thought that they're might actually be hope for me to have an ally ..a f-friend."_

_Rachel now turned to face the pool again and waited a few moments before she spoke again._

"_I guess I was wrong."_

Quinn snapped out of her thoughts as the bell rang signalling the end of Glee and grimaced lightly remembering the hollow defeated look that had taken up residence in the brunette's eyes. She had spent every moment since then trying to prove to Rachel that she wasn't wrong to trust her.


	9. Chapter 9

Since that day Quinn had silently protected the shorter girl from any possible harm. They weren't even friends exactly. She didn't know if the brunette could even begin to think about forgiving her for the years of unrelenting abuse. Because that's exactly what Quinn had done, she had mentally abused the diva until the girl had finally cracked. Rachel had pretty much told the blonde that she had been the catalyst for her underwater adventure. The blonde was so ashamed it physically hurt.

Three weeks after Mercedes funeral, they strayed cautiously into the friends zone.

"Hey Quinn" began the diva, nervously tucking her hair safely behind her ear.

"Oh, hey Rachel" replied the taller girl shutting her locker and turning to face the brunette.

"I was .. I was just wondering if you maybe wanted to ..since we're both partial to the timeless masterpiece that is the Phantom of the Opera I thought ..my Dads bought me the DVD and ..I-If you already have plans of course I'd completely understand, I-"

"Rachel." Interrupted the blonde patiently.

The brunette clamped her mouth shut and flushed red with embarrassment.

"I would love to come over and watch the Phantom of the Opera with you."

"Really? Um, I mean that's great! How about Friday after school? Unless another day would be better, in which case I strongly believe that we should probably exchange contact information in case one of us should fall ill or –"

The blonde held a hand up, bring the tanned girl to a halt once more. Laughing slightly she ripped a piece of paper from the corner of her English notebook and jotted down her number.

"I'll see you Friday, Berry." And with that the blonde walked away, her soft curls bouncing along in her wake.

"I'll have popcorn!" the brunette shouted after her.

She then mentally face palmed for sounding like a five year old.

The blonde didn't turn around or acknowledge that she had heard the other girl, but Rachel swore she heard her chuckling as she disappeared round the corner.

The brunette allowed herself a celebratory self high five and flounced off to second period with a new spring in her step, mentally forming a list of the things she would need for Friday.


	10. Chapter 10

Quinn was sitting poker-straight in the soft cushiony armchair. Her heart was pounding and her face burned with slow burning embarrassment. What had she just done?

The day had started harmless enough, it was Friday, the day the blonde had been looking forward to all week. She had picked out her clothes with a little extra care this morning, not to impress the brunette of course, but her Dad's might be there she didn't want to look like a punk. First impression were important she told herself checking her make-up in her cereal spoon for the third time. She had a good feeling about today, this was the start of something good. She was going to try and repair some of the damage she had cause Rachel.

Pulling into the parking lot half an hour later, the cheerleader smiled as her phone flashed with a message from the diva.

"_Quinn, I was going through my list of carefully selected movie snacks when I realized that I needed your opinion. Do you like popcorn? If not, there are a wide variety of replacements at my disposal. I have peanuts, cotton candy, and a chocolate fountain (if so required) to name but a few. Rachel."_

The blonde stared at the words "chocolate fountain" and giggled, trying to come up with a reply that wouldn't send the chattering girl into hysterics. Even in text form Rachel was rambling.

Still laughing, she fired off a quick reply and got out of her car.

Rachel was just leaving the bathroom (she firmly believed in scheduled pee-breaks which would afford her more time to concentrate in class in order to reach her full potential) when she received Quinn's reply.

"_Popcorn will be fine. Should I bring the vodka then?"_

The brunette gasped audibly and frowned, of course the cheerleader would expect her to provide alcoholic beverages, it's what teenagers did right?

After a few moments standing stock still in the hallway and worrying her lip between her teeth, her phone buzzed again. It was Quinn again. Bewildered the brunette clicked open.

"_Just kidding Berry ;) ..btw you can breath again."_

The pint-sized diva chuckled nervously. How did she know how I was going to react?

"_Very funny. How can you be sure that I'm not buying illegal alcohol from Puck as this very moment?"_

Let's see what she makes of that, thought the star smugly.

"_Because I can see you worrying. Cute sweater by the way :)"_

Rachel whipped around and scanned the corridor, there was nobody there. She was beginning to fell creeped out now and her eyes darted around the hall looking for a flash of blonde, straining for the sound of a footstep. She was concentrating so hard that when her phone buzzed again she did a little jump, then quickly looked around to see if anyone saw.

Once she was satisfied her embarrassment was her own she opened the message. Quinn again.

"_You jumped didn't you?"_

The brunette could practically hear the smirk radiating from the blonde's face who was probably in class at the other side of the building at the moment.

Rachel laughed at her own stupidity and hot tailed it to class.

When school ended the blonde had waited for the diva to walk out of the building and honked her horn. Upon seeing the cheerleader waiting for her the brunette beamed and climbed into the passenger seat.

"_You seem chipper" _observed the blonde amusedly.

"_Yeah well I can't wait to .."_ began the brunette glancing at Quinn, "_..to eat popcorn, yeah popcorn."_

The taller girl arched an eyebrow and looked at the diva.

"_What? I just love popcorn okay?"_ huffed the tiny brunette defensively.

"_Whatever floats your boat Berry." _

After pulling up outside the diva's house and following her through the front door, the blonde couldn't say that she was surprised. Every square inch of the place screamed "Rachel" well that and "gay" but that was besides the point. Along the hallway leading to the sitting room, the walls were dotted with posters from musicals. Funny Girl, Wicked, Les Miserablès to name but a few. The thoroughly over-excited Rachel told Quinn to make herself comfortable while she went to fetch the supplies.

The blonde stretched out happily on the large L-shaped couch and took in her surroundings. A large plasma screen TV dominated much of the right hand side of the room, next to it was a stand piled high with DVDs. To the right hand side of the TV was a beautiful open fireplace, atop it stood various pictures of the diva through different stages of her life. The blonde smiled at a picture of the younger Berry grinning next to a snowman, her front two teeth were missing and she had snow all over her face, she looked like a little elf.

The girl in question appeared at the doorway clearly struggling to maintain her grip on what can only be described as an entire candy store. In her arms piled all the way above her head were chocolate bars, bags of sweets, crisps, and true to her world a little chocolate fountain perched precariously at the very top.

The blonde rushed to assist her and between them they managed to set everything down on the low coffee table beside the sofa. They both collapsed back on the couch as though they had just run a marathon.

"_Jeez Berry, you don't do things half hearted do you?" _ the blonde said only half jokingly.

"_You mean put less than a hundred percent into everything I do? Perish the thought"_ came the sarcastic reply.

After Quinn managed to get in a few more good gags about the uses the food could be put to in third world countries, the diva skipped to the TV and pressed play.

They had been sitting in silence watching the movie for about twenty minutes when it happened. The blonde had moved her arm to stretch it slightly, and in the process had grazed Rachel's boob.

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. I totally just touched her boob! The cheerleader inwardly cringed.

She waited a few moments before she chanced a peek at the other girl. As far as she could tell the brunette hadn't even noticed, she was sitting on the edge of the couch Indian style, gazing fixedly, mumbling along with the lines, word perfect.

Wow she really didn't notice that I totally just groped her thought the blonde visibly relaxing. I wonder what I'd have to do to actually get a response out of her? Thought the cheerleader smirking. She then mentally berated herself for thinking about grabbing the diva's boob again and settled back in the chair to watch the remainder of the movie.

Beside her Rachel turned to smile at Quinn then switched her gaze to the TV slightly frowning.

_Did Quinn Fabray just touch my boob?_


	11. Chapter 11

**This chapter is dedicated to Lola, because she's awesome. This is her birthday present so be nice with the reviews please? : )**

Rachel decided after twenty minutes of fierce internal debate to drop the "boob incident" and came too just as the movie ended. They spent the next few hours watching movie after movie and taking it in turns to toss popcorn into each others mouths giggling hysterically whenever they missed.

When the last credits began rolling Rachel glanced at Quinn who was sprawled out gazing into the fire. Smilingly slightly the diva stretched, yawned and went to check the time.

"Oh my god it's already half eleven!" the girl stated aloud.

"Really? Time flies .." replied the blonde coughing slightly to cover her uncharacteristic display of affection.

"You know, you could stay over if you wanted ..I mean it's late and I can see your tired, unless it's weird for you in which case I will accompany you to the door right away and we'll say no more about it" finished the brunette panting slightly, she had yet to take a breath.

"Well that depends." The blonde answered cryptically.

"Depends on what?"

"On whether or not your sheets are pink." The cheerleader deadpanned.

Flushing lightly the brunette looked slightly panicked.

"Well I wouldn't say pink exactly, they are more of a very, very light red."

"I'm joking Berry, lead the way."

The shorter girl shot her a mega watt smile and led the way slowly up the stairs, giving a running commentary of her entire life story.

"And that step there is where I first realized I wanted to be a singer, I felt like I was on a stage. I've made a lot of decisions sitting on that step." Reminisced the diva wistfully. "It's a sort of stairway to understanding" she mused, completely serious.

Quinn for her part just tried to get up the stairs without falling, she had been silently laughing her ass off at the brunette's rambling, and could feel the vibrations sending her towards the edge of the step.

Thankfully the shorter girl seemed to have snapped out of memory lane, and continued down a long hallway to her bedroom. Quinn stared at the plain white door and couldn't hold in her chuckle.

Smack bang in the middle of the door was a large gold sticker.

Rachel huffed and leapt to her own defence "Metaphors are –"

"Important yeah, I get it Berry." Finished the blonde smirking.

The brunette was so taken aback that Quinn had just finished her sentence that she stood stock still as the blonde sailed past her into the bedroom, eyes darting everywhere.

The cheerleader was slightly shocked, she expected life sized statues of Rachel in every corner, pictures of her and Finn's future wedding to be tacked on the wall, and possibly a pink fluffy carpet dotted with shiny stars.

Instead she took in a stylish modern, if slightly childish haven. The pink four poster bed (nothing's perfect) sat against the nearest wall, dozens of small stuffed animals were dotted here and there. Quinn found this incredibly cute. The other girls elliptical machine stood next to her study desk full of cluttered knick-knacks. _So that's how she keeps in such good shape_ Quinn thought to herself.

"So um .." began Rachel nervously observing Quinn's reaction to her room. "I'll just get you some spare pyjamas?"

Quinn nodded and sat on the bed watching as the brunette strolled to her press and grabbed two pairs. Rachel in a surprising fit of gallantry, insisted on allowing the blonde to change in her bedroom while she took the bathroom down the hall. "It's fine Quinn good manners my Dads always say!" and flounced out of the room when the blonde attempted to protest.

The cheerleader pulled on her makeshift pyjamas and headed down the hall to ask Rachel if she had a spare toothbrush. As she approached the closed door she heard singing drifting towards her, smiling she silently tip-toed forward straining to identify the sound.

"_**But darling you are the only exception, you are the only exception."**_

Quinn gave a jolt as she recognised the song from her dreams.

_I love you too Rachel._

The blonde promptly snapped out of her daydream when the door was flung open. The brunette stood there surprised at the sudden appearance of the cheerleader.

"Quinn? Are you ok?"

The blonde hastily tried to rearrange her features and calm her frantically beating heart.

"Uh yeah, sorry I was just wondering if you had a spare bathroom ..er I mean a spare toothbrush" breathed Quinn awkwardly.

"Sure" said Rachel slightly bewildered at the flustered blonde turning to point at the sink behind her, "that blue one there."

"Thanks" replied the taller girl, as she swept passed Rachel into the bathroom.

Once safely inside she locked the door and exhaled slowly. _What the hell is with that song! It was giving her nightmares and now she was having daymares? Was that even a word? Ugh Berry lips gross!_

Calming herself she brushed her teeth and made her way back to the brunette's bedroom. The diva was already in bed, she looked tiny with the covers all the way up under her chin.

Quinn climbed into the bed beside her and relaxed instantly, the bed was so comfortable and warm.

"My god Berry, your bed is so comfortable." Whispered the blonde moaning slightly in pleasure.

She could practically hear Rachel's answering smile.

"It's essential that my mattress be both firm and relaxing, it helps with posture and as you know a good nights sleep is vital for budding young stars such as me"

"Berry?"

"Yes Quinn?"

"I had fun tonight."

"So did I. Maybe next time we could put that vodka to some use" smirked Rachel jokingly.

"So there's gonna be a next time huh?" asked Quinn teasingly.

"Please Fabray, I got you into bed on the first visit, a second meeting is inevitable." Replied Rachel amusedly.

"Oh my, did Berry just make a joke? I'm deeply shocked!"

"Goodnight Quinn."

"Goodnight Rachel."


	12. Chapter 12

Quinn awoke early the next morning, grunting she rolled over and burrowed her head further beneath the pillow.

"Good morning sleepy-head!" squealed Rachel, practically jumping with enthusiasm.

The blonde grunted even louder and tossed a pillow at the offending sound. She heard a faint _thump_ meaning she had been successful and grinned into the sheets.

"Well, I guess someone isn't exactly a bundle of joy in the mornings" muttered the brunette, eyes narrowed in concentration as she took aim and threw the pillow back at the cheerleader but missing by a solid mile.

Quinn realized there was no way she would get anymore sleep with Rachel on the case, so resigning herself to defeat, rolled onto her back and regarded the diva with an amused expression.

"What time is it Berry?"

"Eight fifteen. And I must say I am appalled that your natural body clock hasn't roused you sooner, I've been awake since six am, I did five laps around the block, showered and got dressed and you were still lying there. At one point I was sort of worried you had died so I held a mirror under your nose."

The blonde snorted so loud that the shorter girl took a frightened step back.

"Well I guess I should probably be glad you didn't come in here with your rape whistle and mallet" giggled the blonde.

The frightened expression on the brunette's face suddenly turned to one of guilt as she glanced quickly to her left then back at the laughing cheerleader.

Following her line of view Quinn's gaze swept the desk that Rachel had unconsciously glanced at and promptly spotted the whistle and a rather menacing looking mallet strewn amongst the papers.

There was a moment of complete silence, then the blonde choked and descended into absolute hysterics.

"It's not what you think!" squealed the brunette trying to be heard over the deafening laughter.

"Omg .." rasped Quinn trying to draw breath while wiping tears from her eyes, "I thought you were kidding about the rape whistle and then I look over and see .." but Rachel didn't get to hear what else the blonde saw because the girl had promptly descended into fits of laughter once more.

"I was just getting them out of my car to be cleaned!" shouted Rachel oblivious to Quinn's amusement.

"CLEANED!" Quinn was having serious trouble breathing now, she was clutching her ribs and rolling along the bed, eyes slightly bulging at the incredulity of the other girl.

In the end the shorter girl pulled up a stool and waited for the laughter to stop. It eventually did when the blonde had laughed slightly too loudly and had fallen in a heap on the floor. Taking deep breaths the cheerleader simply lay there unable to move.

Taking pity on the blonde, the diva rushed to untangle her from the blankets and help her to her feet.

"Ahem." Began Rachel. "Now that we have established that my necessary safety precautions are laugh-worthy, I think it's time for breakfast, don't you?" questioned the brunette smiling despite herself.

"Sure" said the blonde still stifling a giggle.

Rolling her eyes at the taller girl Rachel led the two of them downstairs to the kitchen.

After consuming their breakfast, which consisted of pancakes (for Rachel) and bacon (for Quinn) the blonde returned upstairs to collect her things. The brunette then escorted her to the door and waved goodbye as Quinn drove away.

The blonde watched the other girl wave from the rear view mirror and then disapear behind the door. Feeling happier then she had done in a long time, the cheerleader began laughing lightly to herself remembering the rape whistle and didn't stop until she got home.


	13. Chapter 13

Rachel shut the door and sighed, she missed the blonde already. She wandered from room to room wondering what to do with herself for the day. _What the hell had she done before she hung out with Quinn?_ The brunette thought miserably. She flounced onto the sofa and stared unseeingly at the wall. Last night had been the most alive she had felt in awhile, she had so much fun. She was beginning to feel really guilty that she had tried to commit suicide, there were so many people that cared about her. Her Dads, Mr Schue, and lately the Glee club had been rallying behind her, she noticed the little things that they did for her and it really warmed her heart. Especially Quinn. She stopped herself, she didn't want to start thinking about that day again. She sighed. _I guess I could post another MySpace video, I have been getting slightly behind lately and lately my fan has being getting impatient._

Her mind made up, she headed towards the closet to get out her video camera, which she carried carefully up the stairs and into her room. She set up the stand facing her window (she always looked best with the sun streaming in the background adding a slightly angelic feel to her voice) and went about choosing her song. She decided to expand her boundaries and try a completely random song, she picked shuffle on her iTunes and a familiar ballad started up. She was happy with the choice and began singing along with the first verse, putting ever emotion she could into her performance.

A half hour later the diva posted her video and smiled, she was always happier after she tackled a new song. The smile soon faltered however, she was now at a loss once more. What would she do now? Just as she was seriously beginning to consider alphabetising her DVD collection, her phone vibrated in her pocket.

It was Quinn. _Hmm, I wonder if she left something behind when she left. _Wondered the diva, scanning the room for something out of the ordinary, when she failed to spot anything, she opened the message and began to read.

_Hey, I've left something at your house (_Rachel mentally high fived herself, the power of her sixth sense was growing.) _ would you mind if I dropped by to pick it up?_

_Sure Quinn, no problem. See you soon._

As she sent the reply, the brunette briefly wondered what the blonde could have left, she seemed to have everything earlier. With this in mind, Rachel started pulling back the bedcovers searching for the elusive item. Nothing. She lifted pillows, moved papers, even got on her hands and knees and searched beneath the bed. Still nothing.

Slightly frustrated, the brunette was on the verge of asking Quinn what she had forgotten, when she heard a car pull up outside. Bounding down the hall, she took the stairs two at a time and practically sprinted to the door. She stopped dead in the hallway, she realized how crazy she was acting and hastily smoothed her skirt and tried to breath evenly as she opened the door.

She looked outside puzzled. She had been expecting to see the blonde waiting on the doorstep, instead the cheerleader was sitting in her car, with the window rolled down, regarding the shorter girl with a large grin.

"What did you forget?" yelled the diva, trying to be heard over the engine.

"You." Replied the blonde smiling. "Get in, we're going shopping!" she enthused rather overdramatically.

They had been shopping for about two hours when Rachel spotted a pattern emerging. It seemed that whenever the brunette suggested sometime for Quinn, the blonde would shrug and say she didn't really want to buy anything, whereas the cheerleader was constantly shoving things into the pile of clothes gathering in Rachel's hands. That's when it hit her.

_She is totally trying to improve my dress sense!_

"Say Quinn" began the diva amusedly.

"Hmm?" replied the blonde knee deep in shoes.

"Your so trying to buy me nice clothes aren't you?" smirked the brunette carefully watching the other girl for signs that she was right.

"Oh my goodness, I don't know, maybe!" mumbled the blonde obviously avoiding the question.

"You are so being nice to me!" accused the diva, head tilted to the side with a small smile gracing her lips.

"Don't be crazy Berry, I'm simply going shopping with my acquaintance." Answered the flustered cheerleader, trying to avoid direct eye contact by staring at the diva's left cheek.

Rachel decided to take pity on her and asked if she wanted to get some ice-cream. The relieved girl agreed and they both went to the nearest ice-cream parlour.

"Why don't you go find us a seat and I'll get us some ice-cream" suggested the blonde.

"Sure." Agreed Rachel already scanning the room for an available seat, she sat down in an empty booth by the window when all of a sudden she realized that she hadn't told the blonde her favourite dessert. She looked up to try and grab the cheerleader's attention but it was already too late, Quinn was walking towards her holding two tubs with a satisfied smile on her face.

She slid into the booth across from Rachel and handed her one of the tubs, tucking into her tub with a sudden ferociousness that could rival Mercedes treatment of tater tots.

Slightly amused the brunette locked into her own tub, then gave a light gasp.

"Quinn?" asked the diva slightly shocked.

"Uh huh?" managed the brunette around a giant spoon of vanilla ice-cream.

"How did you know that my favourite ice-cream is strawberry?"

"Oh well .." the blonde swallowed, obviously lost in thought. "Well I guess I just remember you saying something about it, before. Once. Once before." Murmured the cheerleader clearly uncomfortable.

"Oh." Replied the surprised brunette." Well I'm glad you did." She then shot the cheerleader a reassuring smile.

The blonde returned it and returned to her ice-cream.

"So .." began the cheerleader. "You wanna get some vodka tonight?"

Rachel choked on her ice-cream.


	14. Chapter 14

Inevitably Quinn ended up staying at Rachel's again that night. This time however they didn't make it to the bedroom, they fell asleep sprawled across the couch, a mesh of limbs.

The blonde was the first to stir during the night, she blinked, stretched and wondered briefly where the hell she was. That's when she caught sight of the toothless Rachel on the mantelpiece. She chuckled lightly and looked down to the now older and fully toothed brunette. She was sleeping peacefully, one hand tangled in her hair, and to Quinn's amusement, the sleeping diva had a thumb lodged firmly between her two lips.

The cheerleader smiled affectionately at the slumbering brunette and prodded her gently in the thigh, trying to wake her up.

"No it's not Tina's turn for a solo.." mumbled the diva still asleep.

Quinn bit her knuckle to keep from laughing aloud and prodded the girl again, with slightly more force this time.

"Hmm?" asked the brunette sleepily.

"Mr Schue gave the solo to Kurt" deadpanned Quinn.

"He WHAT!" screeched Rachel leaping up and brandishing the remote like a weapon.

"What's wrong Rach?" asked the blonde feigning innocence.

"Mr Schue ..he ..Kurt .. my ..solo" panted the diva obviously flustered still holding the remote aloft and scanning the room for signs of exotic bird feathers. "I ..I-just had a bad dream I guess." Panted the brunette sitting back down and glancing at the blonde with a confused expression.

"Maybe we should uh ..go to bed." Suggested the cheerleader, trying desperately to stifle the urge to laugh.

Rachel's confused expression switched rapidly to a sly grin.

"You know, two times in one weekend. People might start to call you an easy date Fabray" teased the diva, already halfway to the stairs.

The blonde quirked an eyebrow in amusement and followed.

"You do realize your the one who invited me to stay?" retorted the cheerleader.

"Actually" stated the brunette now beginning to climb the stairs sluggishly, "I never actually asked you to stay tonight."

"Don't be silly of course you did." Frowned the taller girl trying to recall their conversation.

"I did not." Continued the diva smirking now, "I simply asked if you wanted to watch a movie after the ice-cream, your the one who fell asleep."

"Oh." Realized the blonde, "Well I guess I'll just go if you want me too?" questioned the cheerleader half turning towards the door.

"What!" squealed the brunette wheeling round to face her, "Of course I want you to stay, it's too late to go now, there's like ..bears outside!"

"Really Berry, bears? Where the hell do you think we're living a forest?" grinned the blonde.

Realizing now that the other girl had no intention of leaving Rachel relaxed and allowed her to sweep past into the bedroom. Standing outside the door, she tried to arrange her thoughts. What was that she had felt at the thought of Quinn leaving? Fear? Panic? This morning's vegetarian pie?

"Hey Berry." Shouted the blonde. "You coming or what?"

At those words the diva's mind cleared of any doubts and she bounced happily into her room.

Quinn was lying flat out on the bed, gazing at the ceiling. Rachel watched her for a few moments then crept into the bed and did the same.

"What are we supposed to be looking at?" wondered the diva aloud.

"Oh, I don't know. I was just thinking." Replied the blonde.

"About what?"

"About what we're going to do tomorrow."

Rachel smiled.

"Who says I want to hang around with you tomorrow?" teased the diva.

"You did in your sleep" replied the taller girl calmly.

The brunette's eyes which had been on the verge of closing, suddenly snapped open and narrowed.

"No I didn't. I don't talk in my sleep." Accused the diva. "Do I?"

"Sure you do. You were talking about me all night. I mean I love my name as much as the next girl but jeez Berry you went slightly overboard." Joked the blonde.

"Oh. I didn't realize I did that, I guess I don't talk enough during the day." Said the brunette turning a light shade of pink.

Quinn glanced at her and started giggling into her pillow.

"What?" asked the diva.

"Berry I was kidding, you don't sleep talk ..much." admitted the cheerleader still giggling.

"Oh ..well good. That would have been embarrassing" replied the brunette slightly sheepishly.

"Yeah well, rest easy. I'm not going to be able to stay awake and incriminate you because I'm ready to fall asleep right now." Yawned the blonde rolling under the blankets and curling into a ball.

"I agree. I won't be able to keep my eyes open for much longer." Replied the smaller girl, getting herself into a comfortable position.

A few minutes silence passed before the blonde realized something.

"You thought I was telling the truth ..you didn't know I was lying. So does that mean you _were _dreaming about me?" questioned the blonde.

...

"Rachel? Rachel?" whispered the blonde.

She peered over her shoulder at the brunette, her breathing was slow and even and her thumb had retaken it's place between her lips. She was asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Rachel was the first to wake. Yawning widely she rolled over and attempted to fall back to sleep, but instead of landing on more mattress she felt a warm lump. Confused and with her eyes still shut she reached beneath her, she felt something sticking out of the warm lump, and prodded it.

"Ow!" complained the lump.

_Ok Rachel, be reasonable, lumps do not have voices. So what the hell did I just poke? _

Opening her eyes, the brunette found herself face to face with an angry Quinn.

"So let me get this straight" began the blonde in mock exasperation. "First you sleep talk, now you probe me in my sleep?"

"I'm so sorry Quinn, I thought you were a lump."

The cheerleader raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, I thought you were a talking lump, I mean a bear, I mean ..I'm sorry." Apologized the diva.

"Rachel?"

"Yes?"

"Could you get off of me please?" snickered the obviously amused cheerleader.

"Oh my ..y-yes of c-course. Sorry." Stammered the brunette rolling away from the other girl with a horrified expression.

"That's quite alright." Smiled the blonde. "No damage done. Now go get your butt in the shower we have things to do today." Stated the blonde, flinging herself onto her feet and clapping her hands together impatiently.

The diva did as she was told and took a quick shower, she was just finished drying her hair when she heard Quinn in the other room on the phone, she moved silently to the door and tried to listen through the keyhole.

The blonde was speaking in hushed tones.

"Yeah? Ok, that's good. No she's just in the shower. Ok I'll let you know, and ..listen thanks."

The diva hurried away from the door when she heard the cheerleader's phone snap shut and began applying her makeup, she never usually bothered but today felt like a good day. She wanted to look it too.

Half an hour later, having eating breakfast and cleaning the kitchen after them, Quinn was driving the brunette to an undisclosed location.

"Quinn, is the blindfold really necessary? It's not like your driving me to my death" chuckled the diva at her own lame joke. Then she turned and spoke vaguely in the blonde's direction. "A-are you?"

"Yes Berry, I've decided to drive you to your death after saving your life." Commented the cheerleader dryly.

"I'll just shut up now shall I?" asked the brunette slightly embarrassed.

"Yes." Replied the blonde trying to stifle her amusement.

Ten minutes later they reached their destination.

"Ok Berry, you can take the blindfold off now." Said the cheerleader twisting to face her.

The brunette undid the blindfold, it dropped into her lap, but her eyes were still shut tight, as though bracing herself against a slushie attack.

"Rachel I'm not going to kill you!" the blonde exclaimed.

"Ok here I go ..I'm going to open my eyes." Commented the brunette. "They're opening ..any second now ..I-"

"Berry!"

The diva's eyes shot open and took a moment to adjust to the dazzling sunlight. Then she blinked. They were at McKinley High, parked right outside the main entrance. Looking at the blonde with puzzled curiosity, she received only a shrug and an indication to get out of the car. The taller girl copied her and stepped out of the drivers side, reaching into the backseat for a small carrier bag the diva had not spotted before.

"Come on, we're going inside." Stated the cheerleader.

The blonde didn't answer the brunette's curious gaze, she simply walked into the school. Rachel looked around, it was completely deserted. _There's nobody to hear me scream_ thought the diva, _I really hope I don't die at my high school. _

With a slight shrug, the brunette followed the other girl into the school. Quinn was waiting for her, holding the door ajar.

"May I ask why we're here? And how did you even get in it's Sunday?" whispered the brunette nervously, glancing inside an empty classroom. The school was eerily quiet.

In reply, Quinn held up a pair of keys and said "Santana."

The brunette needed no more information, Santana had her ways.

Once again the blonde set off at a brisk pace, and the diva struggled alongside her.

They walked for a few moments in silence until Rachel realised something.

"Quinn?"

"Mhmm?" replied the blonde, not slowing.

"My house is only five minutes from the school, why did it take fifteen to get here?"

"Oh." Snickered the cheerleader, "Well I didn't want you to guess, so I sort of went around your block a couple times before I came here."

The brunette was slightly impressed at Quinn's attention to detail.

"And here I was thinking I was dramatic." Teased the diva.

The blonde merely snorted and continued walking.

After a further minute they reached the entrance to the swimming pool and Rachel hesitated looking at Quinn.

"I want to go in here with you if that's ok? We don't have to do anything you don't want to." Soothed the cheerleader.

"No It's f-fine. I'm fine" replied the now slightly paler brunette.

Quinn scanned the diva's face nervously before nodding slightly and leading her into the pool room. Walking right to the water's edge the blonde gazed into the rippling surface and addressed Rachel.

"Look Berry ..Rachel. I'm not really good at this sentimental crap, but I'm really glad that we've ..you know become friends. And I've never really hated you even when we weren't. What I'm trying to say is ..I really couldn't imagine my life without you right now, and well that day I found you in the pool.." Quinn paused for a moment shuddering at the memory before continuing, " It was one of the worst days, no ..it _was_ the worst day of my life. To think that someone as kind and talented and ..beautiful as you could be made to feel worthless by a bunch of people who should be cherishing and supporting you ,well that's just not right. And I know you might not want to, but for me I wanted to show you how much I _do_ care about you. I ..I want to teach you how to swim. Don't worry about a bathing suit I brought two in that bag." She stated pointing behind her to the small black bag. These lesson are symbolic, it's something I can do so that, maybe you won't have to struggle so much anymore, maybe ..maybe sometimes I could help you float." The blonde finished her speech by gazing down at the floor.

The brunette was for the first time in her life, utterly speechless. Tears were flowing quietly down her face, racing each other down her tan cheeks. Without saying a word she walked up to the blonde and threw her arms around her in a tight embrace. The blonde reciprocated and they stayed like that for a long time.

When they finally broke apart, Quinn wiped her own eyes and smiled at the diva.

"So what do you want to learn first?" asked the blonde slightly calmer, "the doggy paddle? The butterfly?"

The brunette's smile grew sly as she replied "Well I don't know about you but, I've always been curious about the breaststroke."


	16. Chapter 16

Quinn kept Rachel at it for an hour. She was supporting the brunette's waist and instructing her how to use her arms and legs. To say the least the diva was not a natural swimmer. She looked like a cross between Finn trying to dance, and Sue Sylvester passing a gallstone.

In the end, the blonde called it a day and promised they would return to try again next Sunday. They both showered, got changed and left the school, the cheerleader taking care to lock the door behind her. Rachel felt elated. She couldn't believe that one person could care that much about her, she wanted to give the taller girl something in return, she just didn't know what.

"You ok?" asked the blonde, wondering whether swimming wasn't such a good idea after all.

"I'm fine. I'm just thinking." Replied the brunette with a reassuring smile.

"May I ask what about?" questioned the blonde curiously.

"To be honest ..I was thinking about repaying you somehow." Said the diva softly.

"Rachel, stop right there." Began the blonde, now pulling up outside the brunette's house "I'm giving you a gift, because I want to. Not because I expect something in return, I know it's probably not something your used to, but in the future I'll want to give you things. And I don't want you to be worrying about repaying me, it's a friendship not a bartering system. Besides you've already repaid me plenty." Stated the cheerleader smiling.

"Repaid you? How?" asked the diva slightly puzzled.

"Well .." smiled the blonde looking at the shorter girl with amused eyes," I've noticed, that since we got back into the car ..you haven't stopped smiling."

Rachel touched her face subconsciously.

"It's easy to smile, when I am with you Quinn." Admitted the brunette softly.

"Good. Because I don't plan on making you stop anytime soon." Replied the blonde sincerely.

A few seconds of peaceful silence enveloped them. The diva began to speak

"Quinn I-"

"Finn!" exclaimed the cheerleader surprised.

"Uhm, no I'm Rachel." Replied the brunette confused.

The blonde gave her an exasperated look.

"No, look, there's Finn. He's standing at on your doorstep." Stated the cheerleader pointing at the house.

"Oh." Said the brunette turning to face the gangly boy. "Well, I guess I should go talk to him .." finished the diva uncertainly.

"Yeah ..Ok. I should go home anyway, I'm out of clean clothes as it is. Just ..call if you need me, you know where I am." Replied the blonde, starting up the engine as she spoke.

"I'll see you at school?" asked the brunette in a small voice.

The blonde sighed and turned to face her smiling lightly.

"Of course."

Rachel smiled back, and jumped out of the car. Quinn watched as she walked toward Finn. He greeted her with a lame wave and one of his trademark goofy grins.

_God he looks way to tall for her. _Thought the blonde annoyed.

She watched as the brunette turned and unlocked her door, inviting Finn inside, she then turned and sent Quinn a final wave. Then she was gone.

The blonde revved the car and started driving home, she was annoyed and she didn't really know why. _I wonder if he's going to ask her out again? What will she say if he does? She has to say no right? Why do I even care?_

Sighing, the cheerleader pulled into her driveway and went straight to her bedroom, her parents didn't even notice she was gone. She check her phone. Nothing.

_God I could do with some vodka now. _She thought with dark humour.

Pushing everything to the back of her mind, she went through her usual routine. She had a lot of homework to catch up on, having neglected it the whole weekend. It took around five hours to complete everything.

With a huff, she rolled her shoulders and stretched her legs beneath the desk. Feeling slightly numb, she went to take a shower and get ready for bed.

Pulling back the covers she crawled in, and curled into a ball. She spotted her phone laying on the bedside table and grabbed it. Flipping it open she felt quietly hopeful, still nothing.

_You'll see her tomorrow stop worrying._ She told herself stubbornly.

With that thought she drifted into a fitful slumber.

When she woke up the next morning, she felt much better. She had Glee today, and besides Mr Schue's insist that they do a rap song at least every other day, it was the best part of her day.

Running a little late, she took a quick shower and applied her makeup hastily. She grabbed a croissant on her way out the door and ate it in the car on the way to school, where she parked, and rushed to her locker. She kept an eye peeled for Rachel, but the brunette was nowhere to be found. Thinking she would probably just see her later in Glee, the blonde practically ran to first period.

Quinn's day was not going well, and she was counting on Glee and Rachel cheering her up, that's why when she walked into the choir room after school that day she was smiling.

Spotting the brunette sitting beside Finn, the blonde shot her a wide grin. The diva returned it cautiously and the cheerleader frowned. _Why did Rachel look so guilty?_

Then she looked down.

Holding hands. Finn and Rachel were holding hands. People who date hold hands. Therefore ..

The blonde froze in shock and anger, the diva was watching her reaction closely. She looked ready to burst into tears, Finn of course took notice of nothing and blabbered on about pizza toppings.

_How could she?_

With that thought, Quinn spun around and left the room. She marched to her car, drove home, slammed her bedroom door shut and threw herself onto her bed.

She was crying, and she didn't even know why.


	17. Chapter 17

Quinn was halfway through her second batch of ice-cream when it hit her, strawberry ugh. Annoyed that everything was reminding her of Rachel she quickly stood up and tossed the container into the bin with a loud thud. She ran her fingers through her hair breathing hard, she felt like she was going insane.

The image of the two of them holding hands were burned into her brain, his giant paw clutching her soft smooth hand. What was wrong with her, she didn't get like this the last time they dated, it had barely affected her.

_Maybe that's because, you didn't know her back then ..maybe you don't want them to get back together._

The blonde sighed, she really needed to do some soul-searching or something. God how Dr Phil was she?

She decided to go for a run, it always helped her clear her mind. She quickly changed into a pair of sweatpants and grabbed her iPod. Music was the only thing that helped her feel better lately.

Passing her father reading the newspaper in the kitchen, and her mother drinking sherry in the living room, the cheerleader stepped out the door and immediately felt a weight life off her shoulders. Her house had always been like that, heavy.

She stretched lithely on the steps leading to the front yard and began to jog at a brisk pace, turning left and right at regular intervals. She had been running for about twenty minutes when she stopped. There in front of her was a small kissing gate which led to her favourite park as a child, she had not stepped foot into this little haven in years. Wiping the sweat from her brown she stared forward slowly drinking in the familiar sight. Encasing the gate on each side was two birch trees, there branches spread out so that it seemed she was walking into an embrace. Pushing the gate inside she felt flecks of gravel crunch beneath her shoes. She had wandered around thirty twenty metres of so, when she spotted a small white bench she used to sit on to watch the water drift by from the nearby stream. She sat and let out a deep breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

Disengaging from everything else she allowed her worries to be washed along with the flowing tide. It was peaceful here. But of course good things must come to an end.

Her iPod, still in her ears had switched song. She recognised the opening beats and sighed.

_When I was younger I saw my daddy cry and curse at the wind .._

Quinn had to admit that she was scared about why she had reacted like this to the news that Rachel was dating Finn again. Didn't she want her to be happy?

_And my momma swore that she would never let herself forget ..._

But was Rachel happy? Or was she going back to what she knew, was the brunette simply settling because she thought she couldn't get any better?

_And that was the day that I promised, I'd never sing of love if it does not exist .._

Truth be told, Quinn thought the diva could do a whole not better than Frankenstein. Rachel deserves somebody that appreciated her, somebody that knew all her flaws but loved her anyway, someone who didn't try to change her.

_**You are the only exception.**_

Someone like me, thought Quinn suddenly.


	18. Chapter 18

Quinn spent the rest of the day in a haze of confusion. Did she like Rachel? Did she like just her or other girls? Did she still like guys? Why did Sam dye his hair with lemon juice? It just didn't make any sense.

One day she was head cheerleader Quinn Fabray, president of the celibacy club and dating the most popular guy in school. And the next thing she knew she was, Quinn Fabray still head cheerleader, no longer president of the celibacy club, and wanting to kill the most popular guy in school in order to get to the most _unpopular _**girl** in school. Ugh, why couldn't she just be pregnant or something that would be less complicated.

_Ok. _She thought trying to remain calm.

"I'll just think this through, it's not that hard if I am gay I'll just watch Ellen DeGeneres and join the softball team that should help me right? Ugh." The blonde realized how stereotypical she sounded right now, but rationality was not really an option. What would her parents say? _Maybe I should just not tell them right now. Or ever. Ok good plan._

Quinn took out a notebook and pen to ask herself some hard questions. Whoever said she wasn't rational can go suck a lemon. She bent her head and began to write, once the pen touched the page it was hard to stop.

_**Do I like Rachel?**_

_Yes. Wow._

_**Do I want to date Rachel?**_

_Yes. Oh no._

_**If Rachel's happy with Finn should I let her be?**_

_No. Ok yes, yes._

The blonde sighed as she re-read what she had written so far. She wanted a chance with the diva, but she also knew she wanted her to be happy. And if happiness happened to come in the form of a bobble headed moron in size thirty seven jeans, then so be it.

_But .._thought Quinn climbing into bed. _One sign that's she's unhappy with him and it's my turn._

Exhausted and weary, she rolled over and thought no more.

At school the next day, the blonde marched towards her locker ready to face the day. She barely had time to so much as look at the combination before she was engulfed by an emotional Rachel.

"Oh my gosh Quinn! I have been so worried, where have you been? Have you been eating? Did that bear get you? Of course not cause then you would have bruises and –"

"Rachel ...can't ...breathe." stammered the cheerleader slightly overwhelmed.

The diva immediately released her with a slightly sheepish look on her face. Her eyes still darting around Quinn's body as though she would see a giant paw-shaped bruise on her arm.

"And to answer you questions, I have been running a slight fever so I decided to stay in bed for the last couple of days, that's why I ran outta Glee club the other day It was the start of it. Secondly, I have been eating thank you for asking. And thirdly, no bear could ever get me, because we do not live in Yogi Park." The blonde then fell silent watching Rachel take everything in.

The diva jerked her head slightly as though accepting the truth of the statement and began to babble nervously.

"Oh. Well you see I thought seeing me with Finn made you sort of ..a-angry, you looked like you were channelling Santana when you stormed out of Glee that day." Probed the brunette light-heartedly.

"Look Berry. Finn makes you happy right? That's what I want, for you to be happy." Stated Quinn trying to convince herself f as much as Rachel.

"I'm ..yes I'm happy I guess I just-"

"Great. Well then I guess I'll see you in Glee, later Berry." And with that the blonde practically sprinted towards the nearest classroom and disappeared.

Sitting in her normal chair by the window, the cheerleader was engulfed in turmoil. She didn't know if she could do this, knowing what she knew now. Just as she thought this she shook her head.

_Rachel's happy. She's happy. I have to deal._

Quinn allowed herself time to mentally prepare for Glee club that day, she needed to keep up appearances, she couldn't let the diva know something was wrong. If Rachel asked her outright, the blonde didn't know if she could lie to her.

The cheerleader was outside the door steeling herself to go in, perched on her toes like an Olympic swimmer ready to take the plunge. She was just about to turn around and concede defeat when she spotted Brittany bouncing towards her.

"Hi Quinn! Are you lost? I always get lost, that's why Santana keeps a tracker on me now. Last week I was trying to find the bathroom and ended up in Breadsticks!" grinned the taller girl obviously delighted with herself. "C'mon I'll help you, look it's right through this door." Continued the blonde cheerleader kindly.

Quinn didn't know whether to be amused of offended, as Brittany led her by the arm to her seat. The blonde sat down and watched as Brittany leaned towards Santana conspiratorially.

"Hey S, I just helped Quinn find her way! She was lost but I helped her!" beamed the blue-eyed girl.

"That's awesome B." Replied Santana returning the girls smile and a high five for good measure.

Quinn rolled her eyes at their weird relationship and glanced towards Rachel. The brunette was sitting side by side with Finn, obviously bored by his incessant pizza top ramblings.

Just as the blonde was about to look away, the diva caught her eye and mouthed "Hi."

Quinn's throat constricted. Why did this girl have to be so adorable? The cheerleader merely smiled back and turned to face the front as Mr Schue skipped in wearing sweatpants, a wife beater and an obnoxious amount of bling.

The cheerleader tuned him out as he began once of his inspirational pep talks. They were getting really old. Instead she snuck sly glances at the brunette from beneath her lashes.

The diva had a notepad balanced precariously on her knee and was talking notes of everything the teacher said. Quinn thought this was adorable and so apparently did Finn, for the next moment he had leaned over and kissed her.

The blonde thought she might actually have to claw her eyes out, she couldn't do this. She had to tell Rachel. Even if the brunette didn't return her feelings, at least she wouldn't have to live with the not knowing. She had to tell her. And soon.


	19. Chapter 19

Quinn Fabray had never been so scared. Nervous. Anxious. She sat in her car in the McKinley High parking lot, going over what she needed to say in her head. She didn't know how Rachel would react, she didn't dare hope for the brunette to reciprocate her feelings. She knew the diva was happy with Finn, why would she give up all that for the girl that used to slushie her every other day. Sure they were friends now, but that didn't automatically make the other girl gay.

As she watched the crowd of students streaming into the school begin to thin, Quinn decided to bite the bullet and head in before she lost her nerve. She stepped out of her car and locked the doors, fumbling nervously with the jangling keys. Turning to face the entrance to the school she paused. The doors looked ready to swallow her whole.

_God this is insane._

The blonde snapped herself out of it, hoisting her bag more securely about her shoulder she began the long walk to her locker. The halls were mostly empty now, she was one of the only people still hanging about. Her legs felt heavy, the sound of her steps reverberating through her head. She felt like everything was slowing down, except her heart. Her heart was fluttering wildly, like a bird against a cage struggling to escape. She wondered what it would do when she saw Rachel. Jump out of her chest and do a dance? Possibly.

She gathered her books slowly, she had already missed most of first period. But, Figgins was the least of her worries today. She decided to dawdle until her second class, she wondered around the empty hallways, thanking whoever was listening to her prayers that she didn't run into anyone. After a seemingly aimless stroll, she suddenly realized where her feet had unwittingly carried her. With a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside.

Lights danced along the glittering surface of the water. She walked slowly, remembering.

_Rachel ..please wake up ..don't die._

She shuddered lightly and tried to conjure up some of the better memories she had in this room.

_Now Rachel, that's it keep paddling. Your almost there ..there you go! You did it! You swam to me! _

Quinn smiled at the memory, she had been so proud. And Rachel had cried, then immediately apologized for blubbering. The blonde had simply nodded, she knew that the brunette felt things a lot deeper than most people. What the diva didn't know, was that the cheerleader had barely been able to hold back her own tears.

She sat by the pool thinking, winding down the time. Who'd have thought that she would have fallen for Rachel Berry? She suppose it made sense if enough logic was applied. It was like a maths equation really.

Constant putdowns + pornographic pictures + drawings with hearts = Gay for Berry.

Smirking slightly at her own stupidity she began to draw circles in the water as she contemplated the bullying. Quinn was like a five year old in a playground, pulling pigtails and shoving sand in the face of the girl she liked. Her behaviour had been the same albeit in the form of slushies and public slatings.

Quinn frowned, she was not a cruel person by nature. Sometimes it came with part of the head cheerleader's territory sure. But she had never gone out of her way to be cruel to people, and she didn't want to be cruel to Rachel. Santana was basically the catalyst for that. Being bitchy was her forte, and the brunette happened to be an easy target. While the blonde did regret everything she had said to the diva, she knew the past was the past and hopefully the tanned girl trusted her now. In fact, Quinn knew she had the other girls trust. And she was loathe to lose it now.

But she had to try. She had to know. Because not knowing? Well that would tear her apart.

Just then the bell rang bringing an end to her reverie. Standing up and dusting down her skirt she headed to her next class, the nervousness gnawing at her insides all the while.

The rest of her classes she spent with her head down, imagining ever possible scenario, trying to soften the blow in her head before her heart felt it. She couldn't imagine Rachel liking her back. But she also couldn't see the other girl be mean to Quinn when she told her, the brunette was too kind for that ..surely.

After last period, the blonde hastily stored her books in her locker and made the short journey to the choir room. She counted her steps.

1 .._ I can do this. _2 .._ I'm a Fabray c'mon get it together. _15 .._Omg she is going to hit me with her mallet isn't she!_

Quinn shook her self slightly. Of course Rachel wouldn't cause her injury ..maybe she should borrow her whistle just in case.

"Quinn are you ok?"

The cheerleader jumped and turned around to see a concerned Kurt eyeing her nervously. She hadn't realised that she had been staring at a wall mumbling to herself for the best part of five minutes.

_Great. _

"Who me? Oh, yeah ..I'm fine. Um thanks for asking."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, he looked far from convinced that everything was "fine" but he let it slide. She followed him quietly into the room and glanced around, trying to spot the shorter girl.

"Quinn! I saved you a seat! Over here!" the diva had actually stood up and waved as if Quinn would never have spotted her in the tiny room otherwise.

The blonde gulped and headed towards the bouncy brunette, who pointed at the chair on her immediate left. The cheerleader looked at the seat and snorted.

There lying on the seat was a sheet of paper with "saved for Quinn" written on it, the blonde recognised the diva's neat handwriting. Picking up the paper she folded it neatly and started toying with it nervously as she spotted Finn approaching Rachel with a smile.

"Hey Rach" grumbled the lanky boy, grinning like a confused puppy. He kissed her chastely then sat down on her right.

The blonde waited until Finn was safely immersed in conversation with Puck to begin talking to the diva.

"Rachel?" whispered the cheerleader leaning in slightly in an effort to prevent them being overheard.

"Yes?" replied the brunette mirroring the blonde by leaning in closer as well.

"I.." Quinn completely lost her train of thought, they were so close now, she could count the freckles on Rachel's nose. A few more inches and .._God Fabray get it together!_

The cheerleader cleared her throat slightly before trusting herself to speak again. Rachel leaned in slightly closer looking worried.

"I was just wondering if I could come over tonight. I ...need to talk to you about something." Asked the blonde, almost wanting the brunette to say no.

"Of course." Smiled the diva. "You can stay over if you'd like?" she added.

"We'll see." Said Quinn answering her smile.

_We'll see ..if you still want to talk to me after tonight._


	20. Chapter 20

Quinn spent the rest of Glee stealing covert glances at Rachel. The brunette was singing quietly to herself while the man-child showed them the wigs they would be wearing for their next performance. God how Quinn hated Mr Schue, all he seemed to do was give them the wrong songs and fight with Sue. Not to mention his goddamn lost puppy act with the ridiculously large eyed Emma. The woman was in a constant state of surprise! He only wanted her now because she was unavailable. That was the problem with most men. Wanting what they can't have.

_Although _she thought humourlessly, that's exactly what her problem was too she mused, stealing another glance at the humming diva.

The blonde was scared. What if Rachel didn't want to talk to her after this? What if she told everyone and they laughed at her? Perhaps she deserved that if it did happen. After all if the brunette had told her that just a few short weeks ago, she would have done the same to her. But Rachel had always been stronger than most people, or maybe just better at hiding it.

Quinn felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to locate the source of the hand and found herself looking into the diva's deep brown eyes. They were full of concern.

"Quinn? Are ..are you ok?" the brunette asked timidly.

"Of course, why do you ask?"

"Well ..it's been then minutes since Glee ended and you haven't noticed everybody else leave the room." Smirked Rachel lightly teasing.

"Oh." Said the cheerleader slightly embarrassed. "I guess I was just thinking too much."

"About what?"

"I ..I'm sure you will find out tonight." Replied the blonde trying to remain calm, "See you later?"

"Sure." Answered the brunette, now turning to scoop up her books. "By the way have you decided whether your staying or not yet?" continued the diva, her back to the blonde.

...

"Quinn?" she turned to see if the other girl had nodded.

She was gone.

The blonde sprinted towards her locker, she had hear Rachel's question. She just didn't know how to answer it. So like a four year old ..she ran. Away. Hiding. She knew she was acting crazy and pathetic, apparently that the effect that this crush was having on her. She had never felt this way before, not with Finn or Puck or even Sam. Though he did happened to be totally gay. The point was, she had never before felt so unsure and scared before. She was usually the one in control of every aspect of her life. Rachel was free. Unpredictable. And that's why she scared Quinn. The brunette could totally destroy her, could break her heart. Was she worth the risk?

Quinn ran to her car and locked the door after her, only then did she breathe. She pulled her seatbelt on and started the car, turning on the stereo to drown out her spiralling thoughts. She went home and took a bath, something she hadn't done in a long time. Right now she needed it. She poured a mixture of lilac and lavender into the steaming mixture of frothy water and undressed. She lowered herself gently into the water and sighed in contentment. Taking her time to lather herself in shampoo she allowed herself to soak for half an hour before reality began to seep in. She had to get dressed and go to Rachel's house. She needed too.

She dressed slowly allowing herself to calm down the pang of nerves that had suddenly engulfed her. She combed through her long blonde locks, drying and straightening it for good measure. It would help her to look nice tonight.

_Maybe she'll take one look at me and jump my bones?_

The blonde snorted at her wishful thinking. She cleaned her room and took one last look around. She had no more reason to delay, it was just her now. Her legs felt like lead, her head was surprisingly empty. Her heart wasn't. If felt full and painful. She felt it beating everywhere. She didn't know where it was anymore.

She climbed into her car and made the short drive to the Berry residence. She parked outside and sat there, gazing at the house with undisguised fear. She could have sworn that she saw the brunette peeking out at her from between the curtains. Still she did not move. The minutes slipped by, the more time she tried to save, the more it slipped through her fingers.

Psyching herself up, she was just about to remove her seatbelt when a vibration beside her caused her to jump and hit her head on the roof of the car.

"Son of a .." she growled under her breath, massaging the tender spot on her head.

She life her jacket and spotted her phone. A message from Rachel. She should have known.

_Quinn are you actually going to come in or just stay there all night? Bears love this time of night you know .. x_

The blonde smiled, slightly comforted by her text. Then, steeling herself, she got out of the car. Before she got to the door it was flung open, and a beaming Rachel threw her arms firmly around the cheerleaders neck.

"Why were you out there for so long? I was worried." The brunette spoke into the blonde's neck causing her to shiver.

"I was admiring your flower bed." Joked the blonde revelling in the embrace.

Rachel pulled back the better to look at the cheerleader.

"Of course, how silly of me." She replied softly. Not pushing the blonde for the real answer. "Come in it's freezing outside."

_Maybe you should hug me again then .._

Quinn kept her mouth shut and followed the brunette inside. It was so warm and she immediately relaxed. They sat on the couch talking for a few moments before Rachel couldn't stand it any longer.

"So ..you wanted to talk?" stated the brunette watching the blonde inhale deeply.

"Yes ..I. I need to talk to you, it's kind of important Rachel." Stammered the cheerleader the blood rushing to her face.

"Quinn, your blushing." Said Rachel wonderingly, reaching to touch her cheek.

"Rachel I like you." The blonde blurted out suddenly. Then mentally smacked herself. She had had a whole speech prepared.

The brunette smiled. "I like you too Quinn, your actually one of the only people I'm comfortable around, I don't have many friends and-"

"No Rachel." The cheerleader breathed hard through her nose, her eyes closed. "I _like_ you." She opened her eyes and gazed into the brunette's eyes, inches from her own. She saw comprehension dawning as the diva's mouth fell open in a perfect O. Her hand which had still been on Quinn's cheek, dropped to her side suddenly.

"You like me?" she managed to stutter in a strangled voice.

"Look I know this is a really big deal, and I'm not trying to freak you out. B-but I had to tell you, it was eating me alive. And seeing ..seeing you with Finn everyday. It was killing me."

Rachel stared.

"Rachel? Can you say something please?" begged Quinn.

"I ..I think you should leave." Stated the brunette hollowly dropping her gaze.

"W ...what?" stammered the blonde.

"I said, I think you should leave. I can't do this Quinn. I'm ..I'm with Finn, I'm happy. I'm not gay." Stated the brunette her voice rising with each word.

"Rachel I .." began the blonde weakly.

"No! Okay just no! You know how fucked up my life has been, you know how much I've been through in these last couple of months. And now, now when I'm finally happy with where I am, I have friends I have a boyfriend , whom I love by the way!"

"Rachel –" interjected the blonde.

But the brunette was on a rant now. "Now you come to me and tell me that the one person I thought was my best friend, has some sort of a lesbian crush on me!" the diva was practically screeching by now.

"So get out! I belong with Finn. We have so much in common that I've started to think that he's my soul mate. You and me have barely anything in common! We're practically polar opposites!"

The blonde got up to her feet surprisingly calm. Walking to the door she paused and turned to face the diva who was glaring at her panting from the outburst. She took a breath and poured her heart out.

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. If that's what you believe you have what Finn, then by all means stay with him. Be happy ..that's all I've ever wanted for you. If not? You know where I am."

The brunette was speechless.

Quinn smiled sadly and walked to her car, it wasn't until she had turned the corner that the tears began to fall.


	21. Chapter 21

Quinn was crying. Again. This was getting slightly ridiculous, she had been lying on her bed in a state of numbness for five hours, then the tears began. She couldn't sleep. She was surprised she hadn't run out of tears yet.

How could Rachel react like that? She had actually shouted at her. Granted Rachel Berry is always loud, but this? This hurt like a knife.

The blonde sighed, moping was doing nobody any good, and it was making her feel more depressed then the time Sue Sylvester discovered that her physical video had been leaked online.

The cheerleader sat up just as a thought struck her. Just as quickly, she stood and looked in the mirror.

"I'm not giving up." She stated simply, watching her reflection's hazel eyes harden in determination. She also watched as a small smirk emerged.

Quinn Fabray had a plan.

Rachel was in shock. She sat exactly where the brunette had left her on the couch. How could Quinn say that to her? She knew that she was with Finn.

Finn. She realized she hadn't called him, and flipped open her phone.

"Hey babe" answered Finn. She could hear the unmistakeably sounds of Call Of Duty in the background.

"Hey" she answered somewhat miserably.

To his credit the boy seemed to notice her mood, though he didn't pause the game.

"Everything ok?" he asked concerned.

"Actually no. Quinn and I just had this huge fight." She answered sadly.

"I thought you guys were like best friends now, what was the fight about?" he enquired. She could already sense him losing interest in their conversation.

"Oh, I-it wasn't such a big deal. I'm sure I can handle it."

"Ok baby, I'm going to hit the hay. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure. Goodnight Finn."

The diva ended the call and sighed. She loved Finn, she really did. But he was the worst listener.

She wished she could call Quinn, but that was out of the question enviously. She couldn't tell her Dads, this was too private. And as much as she was angry with the blonde right now, she wouldn't tell anyone in Glee club her secret.

Realizing it was late and she school tomorrow, the brunette sighed and headed to bed. Quickly getting changed into her pyjamas and switching the lights off, she crawled exhaustedly into bed, hoping everything would be better tomorrow.

Quinn woke up early and took a quick shower, before grabbing a stack of toast and driving to school. She glanced around the parking lot. Being so early, it was practically empty, a few stragglers here and there. Perfect.

Sprinting through the doors she rushed inside the school, searching.

Rachel was running late. She rushed through her house sending random objects flying through the air as she ran to her car, skipping breakfast. She glanced in the mirror and recoiled. Dark rings had taken up residence under her eyes and her head was throbbing uncomfortably against her skull. She pushed her car faster than she normally would, trying to preserve her perfect attendance record. Sometimes were important dammit. She needed some continuity in her life.

Yanking her bag from the passenger seat she slammed the door shut and sprinted into the school, she stopped at her locker abruptly and entered her combination. That's when her sixth sense pinged. Someone was watching her, ceasing all movements she glanced to her right. There standing against a nearby wall stood Quinn Fabray, watching her. The blonde smiled lightly at Rachel but made no attempt to approach. They simply looked at each other. The blonde noting the other girls dark eyes and tired expression.

Moments later the brunette snapped herself out of it, breaking eye contact.

_Rachel you are going to be late! Get your damn books and haul ass!_

She opened her locker and glanced at Quinn again. The cheerleader remained unmoved against the wall, the small smile still gracing her features.

_UM. What class did I have first?_

She shook her head and stubbornly faced her locker once more. Grabbing her books she haphazardly shoved them into her bag and curled her hand around the door reading to fling it close and jog to her class. The she spotted it.

A small note bearing her name, stuck on the inside of the door. Blinking curiously she snatched the note and glanced around before opening it.

_You look amazing today. Then again, you always look amazing to me._

The diva smiled and made a mental note to thank Finn when she saw him. Skipping to her class she made it just in time to keep her record.

The brunette unbearably chipper all day, so when she bounced into Glee club that day and threw herself at her boyfriend in a massive bear hug, nobody batted an eyelid. Well almost nobody, Quinn flinched and Santana mimed vomiting in the background much to everyone's amusement. Brittany put and end to this when she loudly asked Santana if she would be coming over later to scissors again.

"Um thanks Rachel. What was that for?" smiled Finn dopily.

"Oh you know what for." Smirked the brunette happily.

"Oh, Ok." He said trying to think what he did. He held her hand and thought.

Quinn frowned at their conjoined hands.

"Ok guys!" began Mr Schue as he practically pogo-sticked into the room in his excitement "today we're going to be doing something different."

Mumbles.

"Today you will all be picking a song to perform on Friday."

More mumbling.

"I'm sorry Mr Schue, but haven't we done this like a million times already?" asked Rachel obviously exasperated that they weren't doing something related to Barbara Streisand.

"Ahhh" smirked the teacher with his annoying about to impart wisdom smile "this week you will all be performing you solo .." *dramatic pause* .."to another member of the Glee club."

Some whoops followed this statement.

"So I want each of you to go home and pick a song, then come in tomorrow and we will be revealing the name of the person you are going to perform too."

This said, everybody slowly filed from the room debating which song they would sing. Leaving Rachel and Finn sitting in the choir room.

"Your note was really sweet Finn." Smiled Rachel happily. "While I know that you could have simply told me now amazing I am to my face, I appreciated your old-fashioned attitude towards romance and furthermore-"

"What note?" interjected Finn confused.

"Um this one." Replied Rachel frowning."You wrote it right?" she asked.

Finn scanned the paper slightly angrily.

"No. Of course I didn't write this it's so lame." And with that he walked off with a moody. " Talk to you later."

Rachel stood there frowning at the place he had vanished. Eventually she sighed and walked to her locker. Another note.

She opened it, while glancing curiously around the deserted hallways.

_Finn seriously? I don't know if he even knows which end of the pen to use. I told you I wouldn't give up. –Quinn._

Rachel crumpled the note and tossed it into a nearby trashcan, how dare Quinn try to woo her when she was with Finn.

She walked towards the door huffing as she went.

She was almost to the door when she turned around and went back to the trashcan, retrieving the paper she smoothed it out and re-read it. She then put it safely into her bag and walked out.


	22. Chapter 22

Rachel was completely exhausted. She had been perfecting her solo for close to three hours now and her throat felt like it was on fire. She needed water. Dragging herself down the stairs she flounced into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water, sitting on a stool and gazing out the window at the darkening sky. She gulped the water in large mouthfuls and put the cap back on. The diva then turned to return the bottle to the fridge, as she did she felt something rustle in her jean pocket. Frowning slightly she pulled out two pieces of paper.

The notes.

She didn't know what she was thinking keeping them, she just couldn't bring herself to throw them away. Maybe she'll keep them as a memento of her friendship with Quinn. Sighing, and running a hand through her hair she glanced at the clock. Ten thirty.

She needed to get some sleep, she was still tired from last night. With that in mind she made her way to the living room where her fathers sat together watching TV and bade them goodnight.

After her five minute dental routine (If you want to be chart toppers, you've got to have some shiny choppers.) she fell into bed and curled up. She could feel sleep settling in around her warm cocoon of blankets and had a single thought before she fell asleep.

_I wonder if there will be a note tomorrow._

Quinn had just arrived home, she had spent two hours at Santana's house watching a movie. She didn't really want to, but upon seeing how sad the blonde had become, Brittany had absolutely insisted. She felt like a third wheel, the two girls had sat close together on the couch, hands intertwined stealing kisses when they thought she wasn't looking. She saw everything, and it hurt.

She had practically fled the house the second the credits started rolling. Watching them, it felt like it should have been her and Rachel curled up together.

The cheerleader was sitting at the small desk in the corner of her bedroom, she was hunched forward with her head in her hands thinking. If she was honest with herself, she truly believed that her and the brunette were perfect for each other. It had taken her a long time to realize it, and now that she had, there was no way to just put it behind her. She had to give everything. Because, what else was there?

With a defeated sigh, the blonde pulled a piece of paper towards her and started writing.

Rachel woke up feeling better then yesterday, refreshed and ready to take on the world. Or McKinley High at least. She brushed her teeth and put the finishing touches to her make up before taking the stairs two at a time and flinging herself into the kitchen. She had a light breakfast and made her way to the car whistling. She felt excited and didn't know why. It was just a normal day. So why did she have butterflies?

Shrugging to herself in response, she sang along happily with the radio as she arrived at the school, the butterflies growing in speed and number the closer she got. She was confused to say the least. As she walked to her locker she felt her heart racing, and with every step that brought her closer her stomach gave an excited lurch. She opened her locker and peered inside. Another note.

_Ask Finn what your favourite animal is. –Quinn._

The brunette furrowed her brow. What the hell did this mean? The momentary butterflies had ceased their flapping. She frowned even more.

_I must have an upset stomach or something. There's no way that I actually look forward to these stupid notes._

Just then she heard Finn shuffling behind her. He was the only one that awkwardly shuffles just before he apologizes for something.

The brunette slipped the note discreetly into her pocket and turned to face her boyfriend. The guy that she really cared about. LOVED. The guy that she loved. She loved him. They were soul mates after all. Right?

"Hey Rachel, look I just wanted to say I'm sorry for acting like a jerk yesterday. I know it wasn't your fault that other guys pay attention to you now that your kinda hot and stuff." Mumbled the quarterback, gesturing at her to emphasize his point.

"Uhm. Thanks ..I think." Replied Rachel slightly put out.

_Since when did he think I wasn't hot? Is that why he asked me out, because other guys thought I was "kinda hot."_

"Awesome. So I'll see you in Glee?" he smiled giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Sure."

She watched as he turned and began to walk away when a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Finn! What's my favourite animal?" she asked him, smile ready for when he answered correctly. Of course he knew her favourite animal, they knew everything about each other.

"Uh ..a fish?" he squinted, trying to recall some of the conversations he actually listened to. "Why are you asking me? Are you thinking about buying a fish?" he finished confused.

"No. Just ..just forget about it. I'll see you in Glee." She smiled vaguely at him before turning around to gather her books.

She didn't notice Quinn standing there until she cleared her throat. The brunette jumped and her hand flew to her no rapidly beating heart. She felt herself blush and attempted to calm down.

"What the-?" she panted slightly flustered.

"Your favourite animal is a duck because you like the way they waddle, and your Dads used to buy you one every few weeks for the bath because you tried to set them free in the river." Stated the blonde, before calmly walking away.

Rachel stood rooted to the spot. She couldn't even remember telling Quinn about her love for the furry little creatures. The bell slowly brought her back to her senses, grabbing her books she slammed her locker shut and floated to her next class in a dreamlike state.

The brunette was one of the first to make it to Glee that day, she had shut everything to do with Quinn and ducks into a small box in her mind and was now focused on the solo she wanted to do. She was really hoping she would get to sing it to Finn, anybody else and they might get slightly freaked out by her love ballad.

She sat next to the door bouncing her legs impatiently.

_Where is Quinn? I mean Mr Schue where's Mr Schue? She's never late. HE! He's never late._

By creepy coincidence the two objects of her thoughts entered the room at the same time. The cheerleader glanced at Rachel before sitting next Santana and Brittany who were not so subtly having intense eye sex.

The diva glanced at Quinn, who in turn looking at her with slightly unfocused eyes. When she noticed Rachel return her gaze she quirked an eyebrow and gave the brunette her full attention.

"Rachel?"

They were still staring at each other, barely blinking.

"RACHEL?" yelled Mr Schue trying to get her attention.

The brunette's head jerked in surprise and she turned her attention to the teacher.

"Huh?" was the genius response.

"I was just saying that these solos are important and the best one will be picked to be performed at Sectionals this year." He repeated obviously annoyed that she hadn't been hanging on his every word.

"Oh. Right. Sectionals, yes. Very important." She repeated slightly thrown.

"So" he continued obviously perplexed at the brunette's behaviour."Tina if you would like to come up here and read the name of your partner."

The multi-coloured haired Asian got to her feet lightly and made her way to the front of the class, placing her hand in the hat and drawing out a small slip of paper.

"Other Asian." She read without much enthusiasm.

In the back of the room Mike blushed, not used to speaking or being noticed in general.

"Ok great. Who's next? Brittany?"

The blonde squealed and jumped to her feet.

"I won! I won!" she shouted in overwhelming joy. Attempting to high five everyone as she made her way to where Mr Schue was looking on in amusement.

"Brittany, this is where you pick out your singing partner. You didn't win anything." Stated Kurt sounding thoroughly bored.

The bubbly blonde ignored Kurt and dove for the hat plucking out another slip of paper.

"Santana! I won Santana! That's the most awesome prize ever." enthused the ditzy blonde happily.

"Better believe it." Stated the Latina lovingly.

"Ok Finn up you come." Repeated Will.

The tall boy gave Rachel a hopeful smile before stumbling to the front of the class and digging out a name.

"Kurt." He said in a heavy voice.

Rachel whipped around and glared at Kurt who wisely avoided her gaze and tried to rearrange his features into a less smug expression.

The brunette turned to face the front with a huff before realizing something.

"So I guess that leaves.." began Mr Schue.

_Uh oh._

"_Quinn and Rachel."_

The blonde nodded in understanding and the diva fumed inwardly. She knew there was no way Kurt would trade with her, she felt angry at everyone. Why did she have to be stuck with her.

She watched everyone walk out of the room and began to half-heartedly gather her books.

"So I guess we're partners." Confirmed Quinn trying to ease the tension surrounding them.

The diva stopped and raised an eyebrow.

"Singing partners." Clarified the blonde looking down before continuing."Look I really want to do a good job on this, so how about we start practicing singing our solos for each other tonight?"

The brunette eyed her before replying.

"My house. Eight o clock. Don't be late." Before storming out of the room in a tantrum.

The blonde stood there for another minute.

_What am I going to do?_


	23. Chapter 23

Quinn arrived at Rachel's house at seven forty five. She knew whenever the brunette said eight she really meant fifteen minutes early. The blonde was quietly disheartened by the diva's continuous brush offs. She just hoped the shorter girl was in good humour tonight, because this could get awkward.

The girl in question was standing at her window gazing out on the blonde's parked car. Slightly annoyed, was the girl just going to sit out there forever? It's a good thing she came fifteen minutes early. Eventually she watched as the cheerleader got out of her car and walked towards the front door.

Realizing that she would need to answer it, the brunette scurried out of her room and down the stairs. Halfway across the landing she heard the doorbell ring, feeling oddly elated she ran even faster. Trying to glide down the stairs quickly had never worked for her before and she knew as soon as her foot slid on that fifth step that she was in trouble. She felt her feet go from under her and tumbled headfirst down the stairs bumping on every alternate step. She landed at the bottom with a heavy thump and lay there in an unceremonious heap.

Quinn was wondering where the hell Rachel was. Had she decided to just not answer the door? She knocked again. No response. Just as she was about to turn around and get back in her car she heard a faint moan. She knocked furiously at the door.

"Rachel? Rachel are you Ok?" worried the blonde trying to figure out a way to get inside.

The brunette had her pride certainly, but she was worried, her fathers were gone away for the night and her head felt like it was split open from the pain.

"Quinn I .." shouted the brunette biting her lip, "I fell down the stairs, I don't think I can stand by myself."

The cheerleader froze. She turned the door handle. No such luck.

"Rachel stay right there I'm coming Ok? Don't move." Shouted back the blonde trying to keep her panic under control.

She quickly ran the perimeter of the house checking windows and doors as she went. All locked. Stating to panic even more the blonde began wringing her hands and shaking. How was she going to get to her? Suddenly she glanced up, a light. The bathroom window was open. All she had to do was scale the house. Wait what?

She sighed. She had never been much for climbing. Resigning herself to the arduous task, she began quickly climbing the tree adjacent to the window. She was almost at the same level as the window when a thought struck her. In order to climb through it, she would have to shimmy out on one of the long branches, it didn't look very stable. She looked down, it was a long way up. A fall now could be fatal. Closing her eyes she tried to find the courage and found herself conjuring up the picture of Rachel when she had been floating unconscious in that pool.

Her eyes snapped open, and she began to edge her way across the trembling branch, it bended and swayed but remained firm. Climbing onto the window ledge she gave a sigh of relief and quickly crawled through the tiny window. Once inside she didn't pause for breath, wrenching the door open she ran for the stairs and spotted the tiny brunette curled into a ball.

Hurtling down the stairs she landed next to the diva and put a hand on her cheek.

"Rachel? Rachel? Are you OK? Can you hear me?" questioned the blonde anxiously. The diva's eyes which had been shut tight fluttered open.

"Quinn? How did you ..the door was locked." Mumbled the confused brunette.

"Bathroom window was open." Stated the blonde still trying to ascertain whether the shorter girl was ok.

"Y-you, crawled through a window?" asked the girl wonderingly.

"I told you I was coming." She responded simply. "Now listen, can you stand or do you need to go to the hospital."

"I ..I think I can stand." Said the brunette in a small voice sounding like a child.

"Ok." Replied Quinn nervously. "Give me your hand."

She gingerly helped Rachel to her feet. She stood for a second then swayed dangerously and fell backwards clutching her head. The blonde was ready and caught her in her arms.

"Listen Rachel, I think you might be concussed. You need to get some bed rest. Would it be ok if I carried you? Or do you want me to call Finn to come help you?" asked the blonde trying to sound like she didn't care one way or the other.

The brunette tried to focus. She knew what Quinn was doing, she was offering her the choice in case she felt uncomfortable. The diva suddenly felt guilty for the way she had treated her.

"Could you carry me please?" asked the shorter girl in a small voice.

Wordlessly, the blonde gently scooped the small girl into her arms and began ascending the stairs carefully. She had to thank the Cheerios for the muscles she felt burning right now. But she didn't show it. She reached the landing and carried the brunette over the threshold of her bedroom and set her delicately on the bed.

"I'll be right back." Whispered Quinn, and she bolted from the room.

Rachel didn't even have the time to think about how strange this situation was, when the blonde was back carrying a damp cloth, she placed it on the woozy diva's forehead and smoothed it lovingly.

"How are you feeling?" asked the taller girl worriedly.

"Better." Replied the brunette with the ghost of a smile."Thank you Quinn."

"Your welcome Rachel." The blonde murmured softly. "I'll call your Dads and tell them what happened." Continued the cheerleader flipping open her phone and dialling the familiar number.

"Quinn don't ..I mean, I don't want to ruin their night. They never really get time together, and really I'm feeling much better what with the ..cloth and all." She smirked good naturedly.

Quinn blushed and returned a smile.

"Ok well I guess I'll just go. If your sure your going to be Ok?" the blonde questioned.

"Actually ..I ..I w-was just wondering if you would .. I don't really want to be on my own and .."

The brunette stopped rambling and simply tapped the bed beside her.

"Are you sure Rachel?" asked Quinn slightly shocked at the change of heart.

"Yes. I'm sure." Confirmed the brunette with a light smile.

"Well ok, let me grab some pyjamas I guess." Answered the blonde still slightly shocked.

She grabbed the first pair she found and went to the bathroom, allowing the brunette the privacy to change herself. Looking in the mirror she tried to calm down. What did this mean? Splashing some cold water on her face she shook her head and left the room.

Rachel was lying under the covers waiting for her. The blonde turned the lights off and hesitated slightly, before climbing into bed, making sure she didn't jostle the other girl.

It was quiet for a moment and Quinn felt herself nodding off as the adrenaline was replaced with tiredness.

All of a sudden Rachel rolled over and kissed the blonde gently on the cheek.

"Good night Quinn." She whispered, before rolling over and turning her back to the blonde.

Quinn touched her cheek and smiled vaguely.

"Good night Rachel."


	24. Chapter 24

Quinn woke up smiling for the first time in days, and knew immediately that she must be somewhere near Rachel. She allowed her eyes to flutter open and squinted in the early morning sun. She yawned drowsily and glanced at the brunette expecting to see her asleep, she was surprised to discover her sitting up gazing out the window with an inscrutable expression.

"Hey." Tried the blonde uncertainly.

The brunette tore her eyes away from the window and slowly tilted her head to return the blonde's gaze. She maintained the eye contact. Still not speaking.

Quinn swallowed audibly and tried again.

"Are you ok?" she asked nervously, wondering if she should just leave.

The diva's eyes began to moisten and the cheerleader tracked the path of a tear down her pale cheek which landed on the bed between them.

"Rachel?" stated Quinn now positively alarmed, "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Do ..do you want me to leave?"

She had pulled the covers off and risen halfway off the bed when the shorter girl pulled her back.

The blonde sat back down and studied the other girl completely bewildered.

"I am ashamed of myself." Said the brunette her voice cracking slightly with emotion.

"What are y-?" began the blonde.

"I'm ashamed of how I treated you Quinn. You did admittedly kind of surprise me but, I ..I should never have reacted the way I did. Said those things I did. When the truth is, your the best friend that I've ever had. When I'm with you, I just can't stop smiling. And if I wasn't with Finn .." the brunette had to pause here to collect her thoughts, and lowered her gaze to her hands. "If I wasn't with Finn, then maybe I could have given you a different answer the other night, maybe ..maybe things would have been a lot differently, but I owe it to Finn to at least try and work things out. I know what it's like to have your heart broken and he is a good guy. You know?" she ended begging Quinn to understand.

The blonde was slightly in shock at the shorter girls sudden admission and tried to absorb what she had just said.

"Rachel I understand. I really do, I know that it's been hard for you, and I'm sorry that I've put you through so much with the notes and everything ..I guess I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you. I think realizing that I liked you was one of the hardest things I've ever had to admit to myself. But I get what your saying and so .. I respect you, so I'm not going to bother you anymore, no more notes, no hidden agenda's. I promise." She stated firmly gently wiping the tears from the other girls cheek.

"Well" sniffled the diva "If you wanted to you could still leave me the notes. I really enjoyed them." Joked the brunette still crying.

"Whatever you want." Smiled the cheerleader feeling her heart break with every word. "And as much as I'm enjoying lying here with you ..I think I need to leave before I take back everything I just said." She finished only half-joking.

The brunette's face fell but she nodded. She watched through blurry eyes as the blonde walked about the bedroom gathering her things. She was just leaving when Rachel called her name.

"Yes Rachel?" asked the taller girl curiously.

"Can we still ..still be ..f-friends?" asked the diva pleadingly, not sure if she could hear a no.

"Sure." Answered the cheerleader smiling. "Friends." And promptly left the room before Rachel could see the agony in her eyes.

The brunette listened until she heard the front door slam until she burst into fresh floods of tears. If she did the right thing, why did it hurt so much.?

Hoping her boyfriend would reassure her, she dialled Finn's number and he answered on the third ring.

"Hey Rach." He enthused, sounding excited about something.

"Hey. " she replied somewhat miserably.

"What's up?" he asked oblivious to her dour mood.

"Nothing, I'm just in bed recovering. I kinda fell down the stairs last night." She admitted hoping to hear soothing words and promises of his imminent arrival to nurse her back to health.

"Dude that's totally lame. You got any cool scars?" he mocked.

"Finn this is serious, I could have been seriously injured if .."

_If Quinn hadn't climbed through a window to help me.. _

"Your right. I'm sorry Rach, but I've got just the thing to cheer you up." He told her still sounding thoroughly untroubled by her tumble.

"What?" she asked somewhat miffed.

"Party at Puck's. Everybody's gonna be there." She could feel his excitement.

She sighed, she really didn't feel up to a party. She did stupid things when drink was involved.

He noticed her hesitance and pressed on.

"Listen I know that you don't really love parties, but it's gonna be awesome. There's plenty of booze and everyone from Glee is gonna be there! You have to come." He encouraged.

"Everyone?" she repeated wondering if Quinn would make an appearance.

"Yup." He said simply.

"Ok. I'll go, what time are you picking me up?" she asked resigning herself to a boring night of water and bad karaoke.

"Uhm right that's the time. I'm going to Puck's to help him setup early so I was wondering if you could get a ride off someone."

"Sure ok. I'll see you around eight?" she asked annoyed.

"Cool." She heard the dial tone and huffed.

She didn't know if she dared ask Quinn for a ride, it might be seen as taking advantage of her feelings for her. She scrolled through her contacts and sent a quick text.

_Hey, are you going to Puck's party? Can I get a ride? –Rachel _

She decided to jump in the shower while she awaited a reply and spent her time massaging the leftover headache from the fall out of her skull. She felt thoroughly refreshed as she towel dried her hair and got dressed.

She grabbed a banana and headed upstairs to check her phone. One message.

_Yeah no problem. I'll pick you up around half seven. _

The brunette sighed in relief which turned abruptly into a groan.

_What am I going to wear?_


	25. Chapter 25

Quinn had started and re-started her car eight times. Twice she had walked back to her door meaning to just have an early night and avoid the torture that would be this evening. But the thought of Rachel being at a party for probably the first time in her life was thoroughly appealing.

She wanted to use this opportunity to show the brunette that they could get past this awkwardness, they could go back to how they were. No matter how much it hurt her.

This in mind, she found herself pulling up outside Puck's surprisingly cosy-looking house ten minutes later. Glancing at the clock on her dashboard, she cursed under her breath. Ten o'clock. Her indecision had made her dead late, she hated being the last to turn up at a party. But she was here now so screw it. Sighing lightly she stepped out of the car and adjusted her short figure hugging dress. It was light red in colour and the plunging neckline made it that much more flattering. Her hair was straightened to within an inch of it's life and hung loosely about her face, outlining her delicately made up face. With a touch of smoky eye shadow to emphasize her sparkling eyes.

Shivering on the low doorstep, she gave her hair a final flick before stepping forward to ring the doorbell.

The door was flung open and clattered against the wall with a sharp snap. She barely had time to adjust to the change in scenery before a pair of muscular arms engulfed her.

"Hey you guys it's Quinn! Quinn's here! At the door! He slurred happily, clearly drunk.

"Hey Puck" replied Quinn calmly, attempting to disentangle herself from his giant bear hug.

Realizing what she was trying to do, he allowed his hands to drop to his sides immediately and gestured for her to head inside.

The cheerleader smiled her thanks and stepped further into the house, she surveyed her surroundings with a quirked eyebrow. The party was most definitely in full swing, now that she was in the living room she could see that this was the main gathering point for everyone. It looked like the entire student body of McKinley High had shown up. Football players, Cheerios, and her fellow Glee clubbers littered the area.

Tina and Artie were sitting together on the couch engaged in a lively debate about something or other, while Mike looked on morosely sipping his beer. Quinn snorted inwardly.

_Would wheels and the Goth just make it official?_

Spotting Santana and Brittany huddled together on the loveseat, the blonde made her way over, gingerly sidestepping a pelvic thrusting Kurt.

"Hey guys." She greeted, wondering where Rachel was.

"Hey Q" replied Santana, playing with Brittany's hair absentmindedly. "What took you so long to get here?"

"Oh ..I." mumbled the blonde trying not to blush "I just couldn't decide what to wear."

"I had the same problem. Santana kept ripping all my dresses when she got her Mac on" stated Brittany randomly.

Santana mumbled something about Brittany having too many beers and tried to change the subject.

"Anyways, you like you could do with a beer" commented the Latina, observing the blonde's darting eyes.

"Not tonight. I just want a quiet one. Something simply, uncomplicated for once." Replied Quinn distractedly still raking the room for a sign of the diva. "Hey you guys haven't seen Rachel have you?" she burst out unable to contain herself any longer.

The duo exchanged a meaningful glance.

"What?" wondered Quinn impatiently.

"She's in the kitchen." Replied Santana sounding highly amused. "She's pretty wasted, who'd have thought Rachel Berry knew how to throw down." She mocked before Brittany whispered something suggestive in her ear.

With a quick "Later Q." Over her shoulder the Latina tugged the taller blonde through the mass of gyrating bodies and disappeared up the stairs.

Not knowing what to expect, the blonde made her way towards the kitchen, stepping over a passed out Karofsky and pushed aside the swinging door into the room. What she saw stopped her in her tracks.

Rachel Berry was lying on the kitchen table making out with some random hockey player, while Finn looked on, occasionally egging her on.

Suddenly the brunette's head snapped up. Everybody turned to look at Quinn.

She hadn't realized she had spoken the diva's name aloud.

The diva was the first to recover and broke into a smile.

"Quinn! Look at this, I made a new friend." She slurred eyes glazed over. Santana was right, she was completely wasted.

The blonde's heart seemed to physically clench, her stomach lurched in disgust. She couldn't look at Rachel like this.

_I need to get out of here._ She thought desperately, backing quickly out of the room and running blindly towards the stairs, she opened the first door she came to and silently prayed that Santana and Brittany had chosen another room to have their rendezvous in. Somebody up there must have been listening because the room was empty. She shut the door hastily, diluting the sound of the pounding music that reverberated through the floorboards making them hum.

She studied the room. Anything to distract her from what she had just witnessed. It was Puck's bedroom. A double bed dominated much of the left side of the room, set against it was a small bedside table where a small picture frame rested. She perched on the edge of the bed and picked up the photo. It was Puck and his mom. He was around ten of eleven she guessed studying his face, he had a crop of light brown hair that flopped into his blue eyes, ending in an eye-crinkling grin. He looked so carefree and happy that Quinn felt a smile coming to her face.

Just as she was setting the picture back in it's place, the door opened and Puck stumbled in smiling at the sigh of Quinn, who smiled guiltily in return. She was actually snooping in his room in the middle of the his party after all.

The boy seemed unfazed however and swaggered towards the bed before sitting down beside her, they settled into a comfortable silence before she felt him shake with laughter.

Perplexed, she turned to face him. "What?" she asked.

"I've finally got you in my bed." He chuckled good-naturedly.

The blonde laughed and clipped him across the ear with her hand.

"Ow." He complained, "I was just trying to lighten the mood babe."

Quinn giggled but otherwise did not reply and they settled into another comfortable silence, enjoying the momentary respite for reality.

She felt the drunken Puck sigh and glanced at him questioningly.

"She's drunk. She doesn't know what she's doing." He stated, returning her gaze.

"I don't know what your-" began Quinn trying to remain calm. How did he know?

"Rachel. You like her." He stated, it wasn't a question.

Quinn for her part was rooted to the bed trying not to gape.

"Look I don't know what Berry's been telling people but-"

Puck held his hand up obviously not appreciating the growing hysteria in her voice.

"Look Quinn, Berry didn't say anything about you. Well she did, but not in the way your thinking. All she's been asking all night is when your gonna get here." He admitted sounding amused.

She felt herself begin to smile despite herself and he continued.

"It's kinda obvious that you've got the hots for her. People think I'm just some stupid jock, but when I was in prison I got used to watching people, got good at knowing what they were thinking and stuff. I saw you protecting her when you thought nobody else was looking, I saw the way you looked at her when she sang. It's the way I used to look at you" he commented smiling depreciatingly.

Quinn who had hung on his every word was in utter disbelief at his astute observational skills. She smiled sadly at him.

"Your a great guy Puck." She whispered stroking his knee comfortingly "and any girl would be lucky to have you. But I'm not her." She finished now close to tears.

He nodded as though it's what he expected.

"I think ..I think I love her." The blonde whispered, tears now spilling down her cheeks.

His head snapped up.

"Damn, I knew you liked her but .." he trailed off probably remembering the same thing as Quinn. How she used to torment the girl that now held her heart. Ironic, didn't begin to describe this situation.

"Just between us." He leaned in conspiratorially which she mimicked her interest piqued. "I think ye would make a way hotter couple then Finchel" he winked.

Quinn broke out into a fresh fit of giggles and for the second time, clipped him across the head.

"Well I better head back down. There's a new cheerleader that said she wants to feel my guns" he grinned cheekily flexing his muscles.

Laughing sarcastically the blonde pushed him towards the door before turning serious.

"Puck I ..Thank you." She blushed, genuinely grateful.

"My pleasure babe. Now give me a goodbye kiss." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"How about a friendly peck?" she smiled before leaning forward onto her tip toes and pecking him lightly on the lips.

Just as their lips met, the door flew open. They broke apart guiltily as a very drunken Rachel stumbled through the door. She took in their close proximity and her eyes flew to Quinn's hands which rested on either side of Puck's face, to Puck's arm wrapped around the blonde's waist holding her firmly in place and her eyes bulged.

"Rachel what-?" began the blonde watching the brunette's face contort in rage.

"Oh I'm sorry that I interrupted your little make-out session." She spat nastily. "I'll just leave you to it shall I!" she screeched, eyes flashing dangerously.

With a final glare at Quinn she slammed the door shut and they heard her storm down the stairs, shouting at people to get out of her way.

"Me doth think the lady does protest too much." Declared Puck before following the brunette out the door.

Quinn was rooted to the spot. She didn't know what surprised her more. Rachel's reaction, or the fact that Puck even knew who Shakespeare was.


	26. Chapter 26

"Rachel ..Rachel wait!" shouted Quinn running full pelt after the blonde who was attempting to escape, through a neighbours flowerbed no less.

"Rachel would you just stop for a second!" pleaded the blonde wondering what on earth had gotten into the other girl. The diva suddenly came to a complete standstill causing the cheerleader to collide with her toppling both of them into a nearby rose bush.

Quinn simply lay in the damp earth panting from the exertion of the chase. Rachel however had rolled over and was now glaring at the blonde as though she had forced her to eat bacon.

"What do you want Fabray" hissed the small girl with as much venom as she could muster.

Slightly taken aback by the tone the cheerleader sat up and ran her fingers through her hair before replying.

"What do you mean "what do you want?" what the hell was that back there in the bedroom?" exclaimed Quinn annoyed at the brunette's erratic behaviour.

"Oh you mean your little make-out session with Puck?" snarled the diva sarcastically.

"We weren't making out." Stated the blonde firmly, beginning to realize why Rachel and alcohol really shouldn't mix, there should be a whole other name for this stranger glaring at her.

"Like hell you weren't! I'm not stupid I know what I saw!" continued the brunette now trying to get to her feet, wobbling like a seesaw in her heels.

Quinn took a deep breath and answered in the calmest voice she could manage.

"So what?"

The diva, caught off-guard by the comment fell back into the bush with a flump. She hastily whipped the branches aside to glare at the blonde, who was regarding her with a mixture of amusement and annoyance.

"What do you mean so what?" snapped the singer, now clawing handfuls of earth beneath her palms in an effort to maintain control.

"I mean, so what if I was kissing Puck? Your not dating him, why do you even care?" replied the blonde observing the brunette's suddenly unsure expression.

"Because .." began the diva uncertainly. She glanced at Quinn and seemed to change her mind about what she was about to say. "You know what? Your right, you are at liberty to kiss whom ever you want. I was out of line." Declared the brunette finally managing to struggle to her feet. "Let's just go back to the party, they must be wondering where we've got to." She murmured beginning to wobble her way towards Puck's house.

"Oh no you don't!" exclaimed the blonde grabbing the shorter girl firmly by the wrist and spinning her so that they were face to face. "You barge in on me and Puck, then you scream at us, then you run out and tackle me into a god damn flower bed!" she gestured wildly at the Quinn-shaped imprint in the soil. "And now you won't even tell me why!"

"I'm sorry. I-I-it was just the vodka I should avoid it at all costs." Muttered the brunette trying to escape from the blonde's iron grip.

"Don't" whispered the cheerleader closing her eyes in frustration, "don't you dare blame this on the drink. Drunk minds speak sober hearts. So just tell me goddamit."

"I ..I just, you said you liked me." Replied the shorter girl staring fixedly at Quinn's shoulder. She was no longer struggling against the hold, their hands hung limply at their sides.

"I do." Stated the blonde, eyes opening in surprise. Trying to get the other girl to look at her.

"Then why were you making out with Puck?" asked the diva quietly.

"Why were you making out with that hockey jerk?" challenged the blonde, annoyed at the double standards.

"If I tell you will you tell me?" questioned the brunette accepting the challenge.

_What are we five year olds?_ Thought the blonde, though she nodded her head in agreement.

"Ok honestly. I was ..am quite intoxicated in case you haven't noticed."

Quinn's snort said it all.

"Ok ..alright." agreed the brunette exasperatedly, "so I'm totally wasted and well, I have terrible judgement when I'm drunk. Plus my trusting nature is seriously taken advantage of." She muttered darkly as a thought seemed to occur to her. Shuddering lightly she met the blonde's gaze at last.

"Finn told me that If I made out with that guy ..that he would bring me to you." She admitted.

Quinn sucked in a surprised breath and looked at the brunette sadly.

"Your turn." Muttered the brunette feeling the blonde's pitying gaze and blushing profusely.

"I wasn't making out with Puck." She saw the diva about to interrupt and pressed on loudly. "I gave him a friendly peck because we were talking and he was really sweet to me.

"Oh." Was the genius response.

"Yeah." Confirmed Quinn wondering what to do now.

"So party?" asked Rachel awkwardly.

"Rachel we need to talk."

"I was afraid you'd say that." replied the diva, fiddling with her hair nervously.

"You got jealous." Stated the blonde, it wasn't a question.

"I.." began the shorter girl before looking at Quinn. "Yes." She admitted.

The blonde nodded, then tilted her head to the side surveying the anxious girl.

"Why?" asked the taller girl stepping closer to the other girl.

"Why? ..Oh because I .." the brunette faltered noticing the other girls approach and taking a step back.

"Don't .." she muttered taking another half hearted step back.

"Why not?" whispered Quinn slowly walking towards the wide-eyed diva.

"Because ..I .." she stuttered, but stopped backing away.

Quinn stopped short, inches from the other girl, gazing into the deep brown orbs like they we're the only things that existed. And to her, they were the only things that mattered right now.

"Quinn .." whispered the shorter girl closing her eyes, leaning closer unable to pull herself away.

"I don't love you."

"But you will." Murmured the blonde before leaning forward and capturing the diva's lips.


	27. Chapter 27

**Authors note: I just want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed, I ready every single one and they never fail to bring a smile to my face, so keep doing what your doing! Also I love Lola she's totally awesome ;)**

Rachel woke up with a massive headache and no recollection of anything from the previous night. She sat up and realized that it was a huge mistake. Ugh head. Pounding. Not good.

_Water._ She thought recognising the burning need in her throat. Tossing her legs out of the bed she stood then swayed unsteadily on her feet. She blinked and concentrated on making the room stay where it was. The alcohol company was getting a strongly worded letter, when she could remember how to use a pen that is.

Wandering slowly downstairs, careful not to have a repeat of the other night. One step at a time Rachel. She made it to the end of the stairs and breathed a sigh of relief. It was still too early for her fathers to be up and she appreciated being able to get what she needed without their accusatory eyes watching her every step. The sound of her footsteps on the tiles made her flinch and grab her head. Why was everything so loud?

Opening the fridge she grabbed herself a glass of water and drank three glasses thirstily. Feeling a little better she decided to go for a shower, maybe that would wake her up. She felt like she was trying to see through wool-covered eyes. Why did people willing do this to themselves?

Heading back up the stairs she began stripping off and flinging her clothes every which way. Stepping under the warm shower she felt herself relax immediately. Closing her eyes she began vigorously shampooing the hell out of her hair trying to get rid of the stench of beer. Moaning in contentment she grabbed the sponge and began washing her legs, trying to piece together the events of last night. Every now and again she had a faint flashback of last night and grimaced. Damn vodka.

She felt herself beginning to allow all the tension leave her and she sagged against the wall enjoying the feel of the cascading water. She ran her hands through her hair and opened her eyes.

_Why are my nails so dirty? Is that dirt?_

Rachel gasped as the memory flooded through her.

**Quinn was leaning in, closer, she could see every individual fleck of colour in her hazel eyes. She was saying something. Why was she coming closer? Rachel's eye's closed. Maybe her eyes were tired? She could feel Quinn's hot breath on her face.**

"**But you will." **

The brunette was so shocked that she slipped and landed face first on the ground. Why was she always falling lately. The diva ignored her pounding head, and the pain in her elbow from having smashed it against the wall to soften her descent. She leapt to her feet and glanced in the mirror. She studied her face, nothing looked any different. So why did she feel different? She touched her lips and sighed.

_I'm in big trouble. _

She quickly switched the water off and dried her hair. She threw on a pair of jeans and a light red top and made her way back downstairs, greeting her Dads who were now cooking breakfast in the kitchen.

"Hi Dad and Daddy" she said kissing them both on the cheek.

"Hey baby how's your hangover?" replied her Dad Mark, sending her a sly smirk.

"How did you-?" she forced out in a strangled voice.

"Quinn honey" replied the darker man Jason, "she sort of carried you up to bed last night." He sounded much less amused, he had always been the more serious of the two.

He almost noticed her flinch at the mention of Quinn's name.

"Oh right." She replied feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

The two men shared a meaningful look. Mark set down the spatula and took a seat next to his husband before studying his daughter's carefully composed face.

"Honey, has something been bothering you lately. This, drinking, coming home drunk. This isn't you sweetie." Probed the tall balding Jason kindly, surveying her over his glasses.

She took in her father's worried gaze and sighed guiltily.

"I know and I'm really sorry. I've just ..sort of had some stuff to deal with recently and well ..you know I've never been able to deal well with things." She huffed to herself trying to ignore the ever increasing nervousness in her father's gazes.

"We thought as much sweetie. What sort of ..things." asked Mark trying to remain calm while exchanging silent glances with his husband.

"It's .." she began fully intending to lie, to tell them that everything was Ok when all of a sudden the gates broke and everything flooded out."..-"

"Rachel!" they shouted in unison.

She stopped mid flow and bit her lip. "Yes?"

"Could you say that again in English?" her father smiled.

She blushed and took a deep breath.

"Quinn sort of told me she liked me." She admitted looking anywhere but at the men in front of her.

"That's more like it." Smiled Mark lightly."And then what happened?"

"Well I sort of had a little melt-down and threw her out of the house." Admitted the brunette still feeling guilty about the way she had reacted.

"Oh honey. I wish you would have reacted better, but I can't say I'm surprised, that's a big thing to deal with." Said Jason trying to make eye contact with the pouting diva.

"I know. I ..she just surprised me." Commented the girl sighing. "And I screamed at her a bit ..quite loudly actually. And I told her that we could never be together because Finn was my soul mate." She flinched remembering how melodramatic she sounded. Was she always like this?

"Then what happened honey?"

"Then she said .." she trailed off remembering what the blonde had said.

"Yes?"

"She said that soul mates are not people who have everything in common, soul mates are like a mirror showing you what's holding you back, the person who shows you yourself so that you can change, become ..better." whispered the singer.

Jason smiled. "Well Quinn sounds like a smart girl. How do you feel about Finn?"

"To be honest. Lately, he's just not there for me ..actually that's not true. He's never been there for me, I used to think he was good to me, but now I realize that I just didn't know any better. I can't help looking at him and comparing him to Quinn. I've made a list a million times in my head between popularity, the risk of being slushied and Glee Club, everything in my head is saying I should just play it safe and stay with Finn. He may not be the best boyfriend but he loves me and I ..I'm fond of him. Quinn is ..dangerous, she's a risk. She could break my heart .."

"Oh sweetie." Began Mark. "We can't tell you what to do, but what if Quinn is worth the risk? You shouldn't stay with someone just because it makes sense. That's the best part of love, where nothing makes sense but you don't care because your happy. Your head isn't what you need to be listening to right now. But I think you already know that. I know your scared but, the best things in life are the one's that we fight for. You have to risk going too far to discover just how far you can really go." He grabbed her hand and kissed it before the two of them left her alone mulling things over.

She stayed sitting on the kitchen stool until the light faded and she was left sitting in darkness. Everything her Dads had said spinning in her head, threatening to spill out at any moment.

Suddenly she jumped up and ran to her car, not caring about the late hour. She had made her decision.


	28. Chapter 28

Rachel ran out of her house and through the pouring rain, she didn't care that she was in a skimpy t-shirt that was now soaked through, she didn't care that her fathers were shouting for her to come back, she didn't care about anything except where she was going. She need to tell them everything, make them see why she had been acting the way she did.

She fumbled with the keys before finally jamming them into the door and yanking it open, throwing herself into the car she slammed the keys into the ignition and screeched down the road, seat belt forgotten. Taking turns at breakneck speed the brunette was luck she didn't hit something, or someone. As she drove, everything from the past few months came flooding back, whispering in her ear, circling her head as she tried desperately to fight back the tears that threatened to spill.

She thought about Finn, how much he tried to make her happy, how many good times they had together. She had fought long and hard to be his, and now that she finally was, was it worth it? Was she happy?

Then she thought about Quinn. The same Quinn that had tormented her day in day out for a year, called her names, slushied her, drew pornographic pictures her on the bathroom walls. She had hurt Rachel more than anyone else ever could, she had destroyed the brunette once with a single sentence. Who's to say she wouldn't do it again? What if she got tired of Rachel and became the bitchy head cheerleader again? What if, after all she now knew about the diva, she used it for her own sick gain and this whole friendship turned out to me nothing more than a practical joke, would Rachel survive the humiliation?

Around and around the thoughts spiralled, until the singer's knuckles had turned white from gripping the steering wheel. Her teeth were clenched in frustration. Was it just her or was this the longest drive ever? She supposed she should be thankful for the lack of traffic, then again what time was it. She quickly glanced at the dashboard and her eyebrows shot up. Eleven thirty. Really? She really hoped she had made the right decision, she had thought about it damn near enough.

She finally began recognising the familiar houses as they streamed by, the colours blended together and fused, this confused the brunette. Blinking, she realized that she would need to slow down before she ended up out of state. Slowing just enough that she could now make out the numbers of each house, she crawled her way around the corner and parked.

She stood in front of the house shivering. Maybe she should have called first, she glanced uncertainly to her left and right. Nothing. Nobody was walking the street, nobody was driving towards her, there was nothing to stop her from going into the house.

Heart thumping wildly, she slowly approached the wrought iron gate and gently eased it aside, jumping slightly at the noise it made as it rustled a nearby bush. She looked over her shoulder longingly, almost wishing she had taken her rape whistle with her.

_I can do this._

With a final glance behind her, the brunette walked the short slope to the front door. Hesitating slightly she inhaled and drew herself up to her full height, before ringing the doorbell. She held her breath, ears straining to detect the approach of footsteps. Nothing.

She rang again, a little braver this time. She waited a full minute before realizing they must all be asleep. She quickly reviewed her options, she could go home try again tomorrow, its not like they will have moved or anything. Just as she was turning to leave she realized something that made her stop.

_Rachel Barbara Berry, you have just spent hours agonizing over this decision, you drove over here with no seatbelt on in terrible weather conditions that could have caused you to crash and die. And now your going to head home because of a stupid locked door. The Rachel that I know would rappel down the motherfucking chimney. Get your ass in that house._

The brunette didn't pause to consider how strange it was that she was getting a telling off from well ..herself. She simply took the words to heart and began surveying the building looking for a possible entrance. The front door was locked, she didn't have a hairpin or a nifty spy tool to jimmy it open so she left it well alone. Next she studied the windows, all locked.

_Crap._

She was going to have to think outside the box. Suddenly spotting a heavy wooden gate at the side of the house, the diva's face lit up in a smile. That gate led to the back garden, which in turn led to a backdoor, maybe it was unlocked. Congratulating herself on her very capable detective skills and making a mental note to write a letter of thanks to the Discovery Channel for their enthralling episode on "House Raiders Guide To Success" she quickly scaled the fence. Perched on top of it she smiled to herself, this wasn't so hard.

Of course she had to jinx it. Just as she tried to lower herself gracefully down the other side, her top caught in the gate and ripped slightly. Looking down she groaned, half her shirt was ripped making it look like some sort of belly top.

_It's just a top ..It's just a top. At least it's not your nose now come on concentrate._

Rachel left the top fragments swaying on the gate and turned the corner. She spotted the backdoor and did a silent victory dance before falling over and landing on the wet soil. She stood up with dirt all over her, including under her fingernails which she had dug in, in her haste to get back to her feet.

_How fitting._

She silently flitted to the door and took a deep breath before attempting to slide it open. She watched as the glass door slid aside and nearly wept with relief. Practically tumbling in the door she closed it hastily behind her and looked around. She was in the middle of the kitchen, she knew where their bedroom was of course, she had been to this house before. She walked to the far side of the room and opened the door leading into the hall, but not before grabbing a spoon and flinching at her reflection. Realizing that there was nothing she could do about it now, she set off down the hallway before coming to the end of the staircase.

Slowly she ascended the staircase, pausing on every step to strain her ears for the sound of ..well the sound of anything really. Eventually reaching the top of the stairs the diva turned left and tip-toed towards the end of the corridor. She stopped facing a plain white door and sucked in deep calming breaths. She didn't know if she could do this.

_Come on, just a few more steps. Be brave, take a risk._

With a final sigh, she slowly turned the handle and opened the door. She slipped quietly into the room and shut the door soundlessly behind her. She crept wordlessly to the foot of the bed and gazed at the sleeping figure, completely oblivious to her presence.

Swallowing with nervousness she tentatively reached a shaking hand out and prodded the lump.

"Ow." It complained rolling over to glare at their attacker. Their eyes widened in surprise and shock.

Rachel gazed down at her dirty hands before meeting their gaze.

"Finn, we need to talk."


	29. Chapter 29

**Authors note: So, I was really hoping to get your opinion on the story so far. Do you like where the story is headed? Any suggestions would be welcome. Do you want me to wrap it up soon or make it awesomely long LOL. Review please. **

"Rachel?" repeated Finn, stifling a yawn with his hand and squinting at her through the darkness. It was clear that he was obviously still half asleep. Maybe that would be better. Maybe that would ease the pain of what she had to do.

Taking a deep breath she prepared herself for the worst.

"Finn I understand that too function properly you need more sleep then a new born baby, but I really need to talk to you. It's important."

"Yeah well I kinda figured that since you pretty much broke into my house in the middle of the night." He joked.

But the pain in her voice seemed to have roused him and he studied her trembling face apprehensively. He hoped it wasn't one of those "where is this relationship going" speeches.

"Rachel what is it?" Are you ok?" he asked trying desperately to keep his eyes focused on her face, which had turned deathly pale.

"Yes ..I ..I mean no. I mean.. I'm not Ok Finn." She whispered, before looking down at her tightly furled hands and swallowing. "I haven't been ok for a long time now."

The confused boy mashed his eyebrows together wondering why she kept shaking. He didn't feel good about this.

"What do you mean?" he probed, now hoisting himself into a sitting position.

"I..I'm saying that, I've been doing some thinking. A lot of thinking actually, and I've realized some things about myself, some things that I didn't know before. And well when I put the pieces together everything else makes sense. And I'm sorry ..but I don't think I can do this anymore .." she trailed off weakly as she met his troubled gaze.

"What you mean us?" he stated, seeking confirmation. He almost didn't want to hear the answer.

She nodded her head meekly and wrung her hands in silent apology, as the tears cascaded down her cheeks, threatening to fall into her lap at any moment.

"But why Rachel? We ..we're so happy together. We're like meant to be, it's like you always said, I'm the hot quarterback and your the pretty lead singer. It's like ..I dunno destiny or something." He shrugged as if to emphasize his point further.

"That doesn't matter. None of it matters anymore. We shouldn't be together just because it makes sense, we should be together because we love each other. Not because we think we're supposed to. Regardless of our social status." She stated, trying to stop the emotions bubbling under the surface as she saw Finn flinch.

He needed to her this.

"When you love someone ..their meant to carry all your pain, protect you from all your insecurities, buy Christmas presents for not only you but your whole family, and they know your favourite flavour ice-cream without you having to tell them." She paused for a moment smiling at something Finn couldn't see and then continued in the same breath.

"A real soul mate tears down your walls and wakes you up, when you didn't even realize you had been asleep. They break your heart open so new light can get in, and they make you feel so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life. And I'm sorry Finn ..I really am. But your not the one to do that."

"So ..you don't love me?" he asked in a attempt to remain calm.

The brunette took a deep breath and stood up, pacing the tiny bedroom in an effort to release some of her pent up tension.

"I never loved you Finn, I thought I did, but I now see it for what it really was. I was scared. I was scared and alone and you were there. The only reason I was with you, is because you offered me some small form of protection against all the people that bullied me. And I must admit, that the only reason I jumped so readily into your arms, is because ..is because there was nobody else there to catch me."

The boy sat there stunned, mouth agape for a full minute before he recovered with a scowl now firmly in place.

"Oh yeah? Well what's so different now huh? You still have nobody there to catch you. You'll never do better than me." He spat nastily enjoying the hurt that flashed momentarily through the diva's glistening brown orbs.

She looked at the floor before a light smile graced her features.

"I do." She said simply.

Finn was on his feet in a split second and rammed the terrified brunette against the wall. Her head hit the wall and she swayed unsteadily on her feet.

"Who is he? I'll kill him! How long has this been going on?" he snarled, pinning her to the wall, his flushed face mere inches from her own.

"Finn ..stop your hurting me!" squeaked the petrified diva, struggling against his grip.

He ignored her and tightened his vice-like hold upon her wrists. Glaring at her through the moonlight that now flooded the room, giving it an eerie glow.

"Did you put out for him?" I bet you did you stupid slut!" he snapped, forcing her chin up to meet his furious gaze.

"No ..of c-course not." She stammered, giving up the fruitless struggle she had been attempting with a laboured breath.

"Finn let go of me now!" she continued scared of the suddenly feral glint in his eye.

"Let's see him love you with a black eye." He hissed maliciously.

Rachel's eyes widened in horror as he pulled his fist back getting ready to strike. She felt the frantic thumping of her hearts as everything seemed to unfold in slow motion. She watched his fist turn deathly white as he furiously clenched it, bracing for impact. His face contorted with rage and anticipation as he hungrily devoured her fear. She watched his shoulder bend and the fist was suddenly coming straight towards her at a tantalisingly slow pace. There was no way she would remain conscious after a blow like that. And then what would happen? She wouldn't put anything past the violent boy at this stage. Panic flared inside her as she thought of Quinn.

_Quinn._

As soon as she pictured the blonde's face she knew exactly what to do.

The fist was inches from impact when she hastily dropped to the floor. She heard the furious howl of agony as his fist connected with the hard wall, right where her face had been only moments before.

Not pausing for breath, the brunette rolled lithely underneath his outstretched legs and avoided the flailing kick he sent in her direction. Then she sprang to her feet with a scream of rage, she grabbed the nearest object she could find and brandished it like a weapon. Without pausing to think, she swung, what had turned out to be a lamp through the air and brought it down with a smash on the crown of his head. Collapsing to the ground with a grunt of pain, the brunette took one final look at his pathetic figure before turning on her heel and heading towards the door.

"Whoever he is" shouted Finn from his position on the floor. "He probably doesn't love you anyway." He smirked viciously, still cradling his injured hand as a pool of blood oozed from the open wound in his head.

She turned to look at him with a smile.

"Maybe not." She shrugged.

"But she will." She stated, echoing Quinn's words from the night before.

And with that she left. She left the house, she left Finn. But most of all, she left her fear.


	30. Chapter 30

For the second time that night, Rachel Berry was breaking into a house. Hopefully this would be a much better result than the last time. She was slightly scaring herself at her ability to find the weak link in a house and get inside without too much trouble.

Nothing elaborate here though. She solved the complex problem, not by lazering through a window or digging a secret tunnel under the foundations. She simply used the ingenious method of ..forcefully pushing herself through the cat flap.

As soon as she felt her palms collide with the cool tile floor, she felt safe. She surveyed the room warily, sure that Finn was about to pop out from a dark shadow at any moment, to finish what he had started.

Creeping her way silently through the kitchen and down the hall she made her way up the spiral staircase and ended up on the second floor. Then she bit her lip and stomped her foot. She had no idea which room the blonde was in. She would find this slightly amusing if all her thoughts hadn't been engulfed by shock and fear. How could Finn do that to her?

Shaking her head to get rid of the burning questions, she made her way down the long corridor and opened the first door on her right. She held her breath and peered inside. A coat closet.

_One down._

She made her way to the next door which was on her left. She eased the door open and once again squinted inside through the darkness. A bathroom.

_Ugh what the hell Fabray, how many rooms are in this maze?_

Trying to calm down long enough to make her way to the last door at the end of the corridor, she began to feel nervous. What if Quinn didn't want her after the way she acted? What if she threw Rachel out?

The brunette tried to remain positive. She thought about the hazy kiss and stubbornly reached for the door handle. She could hear deep level breathing and knew immediately that it was Quinn. Shutting the door behind her, she approached the bed cautiously and gazed at the sleeping figure.

She looked so peaceful, like a child. No frowns, no scowls or glares. There was just her in a precious unguarded moment. Her blonde hair appeared almost luminous splayed amongst the stark white of the pillows. Her eyes were closed but still fluttering slightly as though she was dreaming. Her mouth was turned down at the corners. Not pouting, but not smiling either.

The brunette took a few moments just watching the girl sleep before she reached over and ran a hand gentlly over the girls porcelain cheek. She traced the sleeping girls lips and dimples before coming to rest against her cheek once more. It was time.

She took the girl lightly by the shoulder and shook her.

The cheerleader's eyes flickered and opened drowsily before closing again.

"Quinn?" whispered Rachel trying not to startle the other girl.

At the sound of her name the blonde shot up and with her eyes still closed turned to face the general direction the voice had come from.

"Berry?" she asked disorientated.

"Yes. It's me, open your eyes."

The blonde 's eyes snapped open and she took in the brunette's worried expression.

"Rachel?" she asked again, but with more conviction in her voice.

The diva simply nodded and shot the blonde a small smile.

Quinn glanced at Rachel taking note of the other girls smile, then all hell broke loose.

The cheerleader shot off the bed and glared at the shorter girl apparently words were beyond her at that moment.

"Quinn what's wrong?" asked the brunette half rising off the bed in anxiousness.

"What do you mean what's wrong? How the hell did you get in here?" Exclaimed the taller girl in a furious whisper.

"Cat flap." Muttered the diva looking guilty.

The blonde's face went blank with confusion and her anger seemed to dissipate for a moment.

"And when you say cat flap you mean?"

"I mean I crawled, or rather I squeezed myself rather forcibly through your cat flap yes." Replied the brunette in a tone that suggested she did this everyday.

"Oh." Commented the blonde. "Well how's about you just go uand "squeeze yourself forcibly" right back out of it." She added the anger now returning with a vengeance.

The diva was momentarily dumbstruck.

"A-a-are you asking me to leave?" she asked in a small voice.

"You bet your sweet ass I am!"

"But ..I thought you liked me." Murmured the brunette suddenly feeling deeply unsure of her "full proof plan" she hadn't thought what she would do once she was actually inside the house.

"I do like you Rachel but you can't keep messing with my head like this! First you yell at me for liking you, then you get back together with Finn. Which fine ok that was your choice to make. I didn't exacty love the idea but it was cool. But then you go all Mariah Carey on me when I give Puck a friendly peck, then you tackle me into a freakin' bush and kiss me! Which is most _definetly_ not cool!" whispered the blonde furiously, hands gesturing wildly as she felt her anger build.

"Your the one who kissed me" Rachel reminded her, though she had no idea why.

The cheerleader threw her arms into the air in exasperation and rolled her eyes.

"I didn't seem to remember you trying to stop me. Your the one who brought tongues into the equation I might add!" stated Quinn moving closer to the suddenly blushing brunette.

"I was drunk!" exclaimed the diva trying to hide her burning cheeks. She sighed and rubbed her forearm where Finn had pinned her absentmindedly. "Look I didn't come here for a fight ..I ..I'm sorry apparently I wildly misinterpreted the situation. I'll just leave."

The brunette was almost at the door when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Rachel what happened your arm?" questioned the blonde gently turning it over and catching sight of the faint bruise on her wrist.

"Oh that it's nothing I ..I just .." the brunette suddenly burst into tears, everything that had happened was finally catching up with her. She couldn't handle it anymore.

The next thing she knew she was on the floor and Quinn was holding her whispering soothing words in her ear.

"It's ok Rachel. I'm here, your safe." She cooed slowly rocking the diva back and forth while softly playing with the brunette's hair.

She didn't know how long they had stayed like that, with Quinn just holding her. But suddenly she felt the blonde pull away and look deep into her eyes.

"Your exhausted, let's try and get some sleep ok?" she whispered softly, tucking a strand of hair behind the diva's ear.

She felt the tiny girl nod against her and stood up, gingerly helping the brunette to her feet. Pulling back the covers she helped her climb into the bed and proceeded to tuck the blanket around her. She turned towards the door and had taken two steps when she felt a hand snatch hers.

"Don't leave." Whispered the terrified brunette, almost pleading.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise, I just need to lock my door in case my Mom decides to come check on me in the morning. I'll be right back." She promised, catching the diva's hand and placing a small kiss to her palm before laying it gently on the bed.

Checking and double checking that the door was locked, the blonde climbed into bed beside the smaller girl and immediately felt the smaller girl wrap herself around her. Smiling softly, she pressed a kiss to the brunette's hair and let the girl calm down.

Eventually the diva intertwined her hand with Quinn's and met her gaze.

"I broke up with Finn." She had spoken so quietly that the blonde had to strain to hear it.

_Is he the one that did this to her? Because I swear to god .._

She could already feel her blood begin to boil, and tried to remain calm when she replied.

"Is he the one that did this to you?" she asked, rubbing her hand along the bruise to illustrate her point.

The blonde felt a nod and she could feel herself begin to unravel. That son of a bitch dared to lay a finger on Rachel, he was going to pay. Oh he was going to pay alright.

"What happened Rachel?" she probed delicately, wanting to know what happened, but not wanting to push the other girl.

"I told him I didn't love him. That I never loved him." She admitted, meeting the blonde's intense gaze, "And he ..he flipped out ..he pinned me against the wall and called me a slut ..and he ..he ..I've never seen him like that ..Oh Quinn I was so scared .." sobbed the brunette, crying softly into Quinn's neck.

The blonde ground her teeth together and forced herself to keep her temper under control. She could feel the smaller girls salty tears run down her neck, and tried to match her breathing with the brunette's. It worked and she began soothing the diva, rocking her to sleep.

"Sssh baby it's all gonna be ok. Don't worry about it, I won't let him get anywhere near you." Choked out the blonde, wanting to break down and cry ant the sight of the broken girl in front of her.

She began singing softly to the sobbing girl and continued tracing light patterns on her back. It seemed to do the trick because the brunette's breathing soon became even and her body which had been shaking with sobs, remained limp and still.

Quinn was glad that the brunette had managed to get some sleep. She knew that sleep was not an option for her, she had a problem to take care of. She lay awake the entire night, holding the sleeping diva, and plotting her revenge.


	31. Chapter 31

When Rachel stirred the next morning, she kept her eyes shut, ridiculously hoping that everything that had happened last night was just a dream and that she would wake up in her own bed with the smell of breakfast being cooked by her fathers wafting up the stairs.

But in her heart, she knew.

She eventually allowed her eyes to flutter open and took a moment adjusting to the harsh morning light before settling her gaze on Quinn. The blonde was holding the other girl in the position she had fallen asleep in, she was wide awake and staring back at the brunette with a warm smile.

"Hey" whispered the diva, cuddling closer to the warm body beside her.

"Hey yourself." Replied the blonde gazing at the sleepy girl in wonderment.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, drinking each other in before Rachel realized they did actually have school that day.

"So what now?" asked the shorter girl around a huge yawn that made her eyes water.

"Well now, I believe we have to talk." Stated the other girl looking suddenly serious after observing how cute the other girl was when she yawned.

_Oh god this is it. _

"T-talk? About what?" stuttered the suddenly nervous brunette, she knew she needed to tell Quinn how she felt, but she was still processing what had happened with Finn.

"Don't worry" replied the blonde smiling at her before gently cupping her face. "We don't have to talk it now, take your time, I'm not going anywhere. All I will say, is that you know what I want Rachel, and if by some miracle you want the same thing." She was whispering now staring intently into those big brown eyes that had captured her very soul. "Then I want you to know, that I would never, ever hurt you. And I won't let anyone else hurt you for that matter."

The brunette nodded, soaking in everything the blonde had said.

"Ok. So let's get some breakfast hmm? I don't know about you by I could go for some bacon" she laughed rolling out of bed and approaching the door.

The diva lay there for another moment before a grin came slowly to her face.

"Breakfast. Yeah." She muttered vaguely, before following the swishing blonde hair out the door.

It was another hour before the two girls hugged goodbye and Quinn escorted the other girl to her car. She held the door open as the brunette climbed gingerly inside and watched as the car disappeared round the bend and sighed. She began thinking about what a torture school was going to be today. Well for some people at least. Suddenly she remembered, today was the day they had to perform their solos in Glee. She rubbed her forehead impatiently, she didn't have time for Mr Schue's stupid assignments right now, she had bigger fish to fry. Much bigger, stupider fish.

She ran back inside and sent a few quick texts. After waiting a few minutes the phone buzzed and she had set her plan in motion. Like shooting fish in a barrel, she noted.

With a satisfied smirk, the blonde rushed upstairs to pick out her clothes for the day. She didn't want to be late for this.

Rachel was wondering around the house like a zombie, gathering books, putting the final touches to her outfit. She was worried, what would happen when she saw Finn?

She thought about what Quinn had said and relaxed slightly. She always knew just what to say to calm her down. Mentally slapping herself, Rachel realized what an idiot she had been. This amazingly gorgeous human being was asking her out, and here she was worrying about that disgusting excuse of an ex-boyfriend. She needed to let Quinn know how she felt, no messing around this time. She knew what she needed to do.

"Ready sweetheart?" yelled her Dad from somewhere in the kitchen.

"Yes. I just have to get something from upstairs, be right down." She replied and quickly hurried into her room. Flipping through a stack of papers, she found the one she needed and gave herself a congratulatory pat on the back, before scurrying down the stairs and into the awaiting car.

Quinn forced herself to smile as she entered McKinley High, this plan wouldn't work if she looked suspicious in any way. She waited at her locker, extremely conscious of everything around her, she kept a close eye on everyone, she didn't want to give anything away. She could be expelled, hell she could be arrested for this. She spotted the diva walking in the door of her next class, the brunette locked eyes and beamed at the blonde. That's when Quinn decided she really didn't care what happened to her, as long as that smile stayed on the shorter girls face forever.

That's when she spotted Brittany, the taller blonde approached her, and without saying a word dropped a single key into her palm, nodded and left. This was what Quinn had been waiting for, she hastily stowed her books in her locker and took off in the direction of the swimming pool.

Since Sue decided to disband the swim team for showing too much skin in their "Satan diapers" the room was generally kept locked and empty. The blonde approached the door cautiously, she knew it would already be unlocked, glancing around to make sure nobodies eyes were following her, the blonde slipped inside and shut the door. She took the small key from her pocket and locked the door, replacing it once she made sure nobody would be able to get out.

"Hey Q" came a voice from somewhere near the pool.

Without turning around the blonde smirked.

"Hey S, did you do it?"

"That's like asking me if Brittany can dance." She heard the amused tone in the Latina's voice. "Why don't you take a look for yourself.

The taller cheerleader turned around and locked eyes with Finn Hudson. He was bound and gagged to a wooden chair, straddling the very edge of the pool. His eyes were wide with fear.

"Very good. "muttered the blonde trying not to throw up as she stared at him.

The Latina smirked in pleasure at the compliment and kicked the boy hard in the shins for good measure.

He mumbled furiously, but was otherwise unable to do anything.

"I think you should leave now." The blonde told the dark haired girl.

"But-"

"I don't want you to see me like this." Stated the taller girl calmly.

The Latina nodded her head in understanding and silently left the room. Making sure to lock the other door from the outside, there she stood guard, making sure nobody interrupted.

"Finally alone." Murmured the blonde, beginning to circle the clueless boy.

"You know, I used to be so jealous of you" She observed, more to herself than him, "you were the most popular guy in school, you never got slushied, and then of course you were dating the hottest girl in school. " her eyes glittered dangerously.

Shaking her head at the memories, the blonde suddenly stepped forward and yanked the gag from his mouth.

"Quinn what the HELL!" he yelled angrily, struggling furiously against the bonds.

"So you think It's alright to go around hitting girls do you?" she hissed inching closer with every step.

He stopped struggling momentarily.

"Whatever that dumb bitch say-"

WHACK.

The blonde had slapped him across the face with every fibre of her being. She felt herself coming loose around the edges, the anger was overwhelming.

He shook his head, slightly in shock.

"Do you .." she began, yanking him by the hair and locking eyes with him, clenching her teeth as she spoke "have any idea what that girl has been through huh?"

He suddenly looked unnerved.

She wondered briefly what she must look like right now, then quickly decided she didn't care.

Bending slightly she kicked the chair closer to the edge of the pool.

His eyes widened as the realization of what she was about to do hit him.

"You ..you can't let me drown." He stuttered, trying to reason with her.

"Why can't I? Nobody's seen me come in here. Nobody knows I'm here. " she whispered dangerously.

"You see" she snarled into his ear "as far as everybody knows, I'm in the bathroom with Brittany feeling a little sick. "she smirked when she heard him gulp.

Laughing manically, she pushed the chair further towards the edge, the leg was mere inches from the rim.

"Please Quinn don't do this please" he whimpered beginning to cry.

He curled her lip in displeasure.

"Is –this- how-Rachel- cried- last- night? How –she- begged- you -not -to -hurt –her- huh?" she punctuated each word with a punch or a kick, laying into every bit of him she could reach.

He sobbed even louder, ducking his face to try and protect it.

"You know what?" I'm tired of talking" she suddenly shouted and kicked him over the edge.

The boy screamed in shock and braced himself for the splash. However nothing came. Instead he felt the chair collide with solid ground and the legs broke off. His face collided hard with cool tile and he felt dizzy.

He forced himself to open his eyes. The pool had been empty.

"Now you know what fear really feels like." Spat the blonde before throwing a small penknife in his direction.

"You can use that to cut yourself free. But be warned scum .." she snarled "If you ever so much as say that girls name. I will not hesitate to kill you ..do you understand me!" she screamed the last part venomously.

He nodded feverently and resumed his sobbing.

And with that the blonde left the boy in a lump at the end of the pool and left the room.

Finn exhaled loudly when he heard the door slam.

Panting slightly, he reached for the knife, which had missed his head by inches. He shuddered to think whether or not it was intentional.

Just as his hand closed around the small handle, a foot came down on his hand.

Shrieking in pain he cradled his already injured arm and looked up.

"Not so fast doughboy. You don't think she would let you leave without me having a bit of fun do you?" she smirked before taking something out of her pocket and ripping open his shirt.


	32. Chapter 32

Rachel Berry was nervous. And it wasn't your run of the mill type of nervous, like the way you feel when your walking down the stairs and your foot misses a step causing your stomach to clench in unpleasant anticipation. This was more like the kind of nervous where you accidentally push your handicappable friend down the stairs and wonder briefly whether the fall will kill him. Needless to say, these nerves were quite different.

It wasn't the fact that she was going to be singing a solo in front of the entire Glee Club, that was a walk in the park. Even when she wasn't feeling the best, the brunette knew that her talent still thankfully fair outstripped anyone else. It wasn't even the fact that she would be singing this song to Quinn. She was anxious because of _what_ she would be singing to the blonde in front of the _entire _Glee club. But she knew that she had to do this. The blonde had been so patient and supportive. And what had the star done except throw it all firmly back in her face. Nobody deserved that. She had acted like a petulant five year old and it had taken her fathers straight-talking approach to help her to see that.

Sighing softly, she sat at the piano and ran her fingers gently over the keys, barely touching the ivory teeth as the glided back and forth like a wisp of smoke. The beautiful melody echoing around the empty auditorium. Closing her eyes, she felt herself getting lost in the music. She loved singing sure, but something about the soft lulling tone of the piano relaxed her. She felt her shoulders sway in time with the music and closed her eyes.

She stayed like that for a long time. An hour, maybe more, playing any random song that took her fancy. Singing along with some, but mostly remaining silent choosing instead to let the music speak for itself. Enjoying the brief moment of respite she had to herself.

She was just thinking about how everyone would react to her ballad, when a pair of warm arms encircled her waist from behind. She tried to turn her head, but a soft voice in her ear held her firmly in place.

"Guess who?" whispered the seductive voice, brushing their lips against the shell of her ear.

Rachel shuddered in pleasure and her throat went dry as she recognised the voice.

"Well let's see .." smirked the brunette, intertwining her fingers with the hand rubbing light circles along her exposed thigh. She thanked god she had worn a skirt today.

"Could my mystery seducer possibly be Noah Puckerman?" she teased, leaning back into the warm embrace. She felt the hands tighten protectively and smiled.

"You know I got more game than that pool boy" drawled the voice which had now taken up residence at the back of her neck. "Try again."

The diva shuddered as she felt the hot breath tickle her exposed patch of flesh at the nape of her neck.

Trying to remain calm, she played gently with the soft skin of the hand rubbing gently against her open palm.

"C-could it be .. Artie?" she panted, feeling a familiar tug of anticipation pool in the pit of her stomach.

She felt the "stranger" giggle and tried to remain sane as the shaking body, made her mind jump directly to the gutter. The vibrations felt like glorious torture.

"You know what?" I think I'm going to have to reveal my identity before you ask whether or not I have buck teeth, harry potter glasses and a jewfro." Stated the voice with some amusement.

The brunette giggled and turned slowly within the arms encircling her. She was met with a pair of the most beautiful hazel eyes she had ever seen.

She was momentarily speechless.

The blonde smiled at the dazed brunette and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You know I could get Jewfro if your disappointed." Joked the taller girl, tilting her head to the side, surveying the girl through hooded lids.

The brunette suddenly launched herself forward and crashed her lips against the cheerleader's.

Taken by surprise, the blonde didn't respond at first, and misinterpreting the lack of response as rejection, the brunette immediately pulled away and started apologizing.

"Oh god ..Quinn I'm so sorry, I think my brain disconnected and my hormones took over and I transformed into a horny teenage boy and I-"

The diva was stunned into silence, when the blonde pulled her in for a searing kiss. Their lips melded together, fitting together perfectly like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The blonde ran her hands down the diva's back, pulling her impossibly closer. The shorter girl cupped the cheerleader's face and traced it slowly with her finger. Memorizing every bump and scar in the porcelain surface. It was practically flawless.

The brunette ran her tongue along the other girls lips and moaned when she was granted entrance. The exploration of the blonde's face suddenly abandoned as she experienced a major case of sensory overload. Completely forgetting everything except the girl in front of her, she took the girls bottom lip between her teeth and smiled when it elicited a surprised gasp from the cheerleader.

Quinn, not one to be outdone slowly snuck a hand beneath the girls shirt and scraped her nails down the brunette's spine.

The diva swallowed the taller girls moan and pushed her back until she was fully stretched out along the seat, looking up at the flushed brunette who was now straddling her. She groaned at the loss of contact, which quickly turned to a moan of pleasure as the diva brought her lips down and crashed them firmly against the squirming girl's mouth for the third time.

Rachel "the prude" Berry was now running her hands up and down the blonde's sides, and tickling the washboard stomach through the thin shirt. Lifting the material slightly and pushing a hand beneath the thin layer.

The blondes eyes shot open at the contact and moaned as the brunette trailed her nails up the length of the writhing girls porcelain skin. She finally reached her destination, and cupped the soft mound of flesh beneath the cheerleader's bra.

Quinn's eyes widened and she pushed the brunette back slightly.

The diva took the hint and quickly removed her hand panting.

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?" worried the shorter girl with fear in her eyes.

The blonde smiled up at the fretting brunette and placed a finger to her lips to cut off the inevitable rant.

"That was most definitely not wrong." Smirked the blonde, stoking the diva's cheek tenderly. "I just ..I'm not ready ..for that yet."

"Oh" blushed shorter girl. "Your completely correct, I mean we've just had our first kiss after all, and I don't think it would be prudent of me to take you on top of the piano." She rambled, "no matter how much I wanted too." Admitted the brunette blushing once more, realizing she had just said that out loud.

The blonde simply quirked an eyebrow and burst into a fit of giggles.

The diva looked mildly offended as the cheerleader shook with laughter, but watching the taller girl begin to snort, she had to admit it was slightly humorous and joined the hysterical blonde in laughter.

Once the laughter subsided, which took about ten minutes of fierce effort. The brunette rested her forehead against Quinn's and intertwined their fingers together.

"I was meant to woo you." She frowned a tad disappointment at the premature result.

"Woo? You? Me? How?" giggled the blonde, playing with a lock of the diva's hair.

"Well I .."began the brunette, before a devilish smirk worked it's way onto her lips and she kissed the blonde quickly before continuing "I'm still going to do it, so don't you dare be late for Glee club today." She warned playfully, giving the blonde a quick Eskimo kiss before jumping up and rushing out of the room.

The blonde sighed and fell back onto her seat with a flump.

"And if your not there, I'll just have to turn to Ben Jacob Israel to satisfy my sexual needs" the brunette shouted as her head appeared around the door again.

The blonde's mouth fell open and she blushed.

The brunette winked and disappeared once more.


	33. Chapter 33

**Authors Note: The chapter contains quite a bit of Britanna. The song used in this chapter is "I Don't Believe You" by Pink, one of my personal favourites. Reviews are like crack to me, so please review!**

Rachel was sitting on the edge of her seat, eyes trained on the choir room door as she waited for the others to start arriving. She was close to losing her nerve and her leg was bouncing up and down, something that happened when she was extremely anxious. This had to be perfect, this had to be enough. If Quinn didn't like this, the brunette was sure she would curl into a ball and die, metaphorically of course, but die nevertheless. She wasn't even sure if the blonde was ready to go public with their sortof-but-not-really-making out-on a piano-relationship. What if she scared her away?

She couldn't stand the suspense any longer, leaping up from her seat she crossed the room in seconds and stuck her head out of the door, the left was clear. She turned her head to the right and spotted bird feathers bobbing through the crowd of milling students.

"Definitely Kurt" she mumbled, retreating as fast as she could into the room, she returned to her original seat and tried to arrange her features into a neutral expression.

Kurt walked in moments later, took one look at the diva and quirked an eyebrow. There was no way he was going to be fooled.

"What's wrong?" he drawled, scanning the room for signs of what could be causing the brunette to be looking at him with such a creepy strained smile plastered across her face.

"What do you mean Kurt?" she asked, trying to smile even wider and hurting her cheeks in the process.

"Well you look like you've just been told that Barbara Streisand got a nose job." He stated, watching her closely as he took his seat.

Her smile faded.

"Am I that obvious?" she wondered, slightly annoyed that her acting skills had let her down.

"Just to me sweetie. I can read anyone like a book. Plus I have an amazing gaydar." He told her seriously, switching his gaze to his perfectly manicured nails.

"Oh r-right." She murmured, trying to stop herself from sending out any gay vibes. If such a thing even existed. Then she realized how pointless an exercise this really was because pretty soon, they would all know.

The brunette remained silent for the next few minutes, watching as the trickle of students made there way through the door, each giving Rachel a weird look.

_After this, I must talk to Daddies about getting me a facial expression coach. It really is an essential part of Broadway._

Her inner monologue was disrupted, when Mr Schue arrived and hush fell.

"Hey guys, is everybody excited to sing today?" he enthused, his eyes practically aglow with the light of a million goddamn fairies.

There was a general murmur, which he took as assent and began ticking off the names of everyone that was present.

Rachel was slightly panicking now, where was she? Did the piano incident scare her off? She looked down at her hands, and remembered what it felt like to hold the cheerleader's soft skin right beside her own.

"Hey does anybody know where Finn and Quinn are?" asked the blonde teacher worriedly.

"I'm right here Mr Schue" said Quinn, shutting the door behind her and looking a little flushed. She glanced at Rachel and blushed before turning back to the teacher, "And I think Finn is a bit tied up at the moment" she commented sounding slightly amused.

The brunette heard a low chuckle from Santana but didn't even have the energy to wonder why she was laughing, every fibre of her being was locked on the blonde from the moment she opened the door.

"Ok, thanks Quinn have a seat. So who's up first?" smiled the wavy-haired man.

"I'd like to go first Mr Schue."

Rachel whipped around and stared.

"Um, sure Brittany why don't you come up with your partner and give it a go." He replied kindly, probably wondering, like the rest of Glee club, what the hell the taller blonde's singing voice actually sounded like.

She nodded happily and dragged the shocked Latina to the front of the room, plopping her down on a stool and whispering to Brad what she wanted to sing, his eyes widened briefly and he nodded before beginning to play.

The blonde faced Santana and began to speak.

"This is how I feel about you S." She said simply before starting to sing.

The music started and Rachel heard herself gasp, was Brittany going to finally admit to what herself and Santana had denied for the last year?

_**I don't mind it ..I don't mind at all, it's like your the swing set and I'm the kid that falls.**_

Brittany mimed falling over and smiled at the apprehensive looking Latina.

_**It's like, the way we fight. The times I cry, we come to blows, but every night the passion's there so it's gotta be right, right?**_

The head cheerleader blushed at this and returned the blonde's unwavering smile.

_**No, I don't believe you, when you say don't come around here no more. I won't remind you, you said we wouldn't be apart.**_

Their eyes remained locked for the entire song, and Brittany grabbed the Latina's hand before she belted out the last few notes.

_**No I don't believe you when you say you say you don't need me anymore, so don't pretend to not love me at all...**_

The blonde held the last note and a tear trickled down her cheek. Santana stood up and pulled the blonde into a loving embrace, before wiping the tears from her eyes. The entire Glee club was in complete shock, they never knew the ditzy cheerleader had such a beautiful voice.

It was Rachel who broke the silence, she silently stood from her seat and began clapping. The other's realized what she was doing and hastened to follow her lead, soon the entire club was on their feet cheering and clapping. The two girls blushed their way back to their seats, never breaking eye contact.

Eventually, Mr Schue regained the use of his voice and cleared his throat before trying to restore normality.

"Very nice Brittany." He encouraged before continuing, "So who wants to follow that?" he joked good naturedly.

The brunette was just about to raise her hand, when the choir room door swung open.

"Omg" exclaimed Kurt.

Tina clapped an astonished hand over her mouth.

And Artie almost fell out of his wheelchair, the rest of the club settled between disbelieving looks and their mouths hanging open.

In the door stood Finn. His hair all over the place, a large purple bruise beginning to form above his right eye where his head had collided with the tiled pool floor. He was cradling his injured wrist and looking completely terrified. He was wearing nothing but his underwear, and scrawled across his stomach in bold capitals was the word.

"PIG."

Mr Schue was the first to react, he rushed to Finn's side and asked him what happened. Finn opened his mouth to retort but caught sight of Quinn's piercing glare and quickly shook his head.

"Karofsky." He muttered before wincing slightly.

"C'mon I'll take you too the nurses office. Hey can some of you guys help me?" asked the shocked teacher pulling one of the boys thick arms around his shoulders.

Everybody except Brittany, Santana and Quinn rushed to the door, not wanting to miss anything.

Once they left, the brunette turned around and glanced at Quinn, who was returning her gaze with a satisfied expression.

"Quinn ..t-tell me you didn't have anything to do with this." The brunette pleaded.

Santana took this as her cue to leave, and quickly escorted Brittany through the door with the promise of some locker room sexy time.

The blonde watched them go before answering the shorter girl.

"Yes."

"Quinn! How could you? I k-know that what Finn did to me was horrible, but what you did is serious, what if he had been seriously injured!" she exclaimed in a shrill voice.

"Then I would have been successful." Muttered the blonde bitterly.

The brunette leapt up furious.

"He didn't deserve that Quinn! All he did was shove me, it wasn't that big a-"

"Wait you think I beat him up because of what he did to you?" the cheerleader asked incredulous.

The brunette paused.

"Well isn't it?"

"Getting revenge for what he did to you is only part of it Rachel. He deserved exactly what he got and more. Trust me." She stated calmly.

"You know I don't think that I can trust you." Whispered the brunette, "If you can do a thing like that and not even be able to tell me why."

With a final glare at the blonde, the diva stormed out of the room and headed straight for her car, wondering what kind of a psycho she almost fell for.

She had been crying in her car for ten minutes before she heard a tap on the window. She jumped violently and glanced out the passenger side. Wiping her eyes hastily, she rolled down the passenger side window and quirked an eyebrow.

"Open the door Berry." Said Santana.

"Why?" questioned the brunette.

"Because Quinn's too ashamed to tell you the real reason she beat Finn's ass."

The diva slowly opened the door and watched as the Latina sat in and closed it behind her.

The cheerleader took a deep breath and gazed out the windscreen.

"Well?" demanded the brunette.

"I'm preparing myself Berry, relax." Snapped the suddenly emotional cheerio.

The diva rolled her eyes but remained silent.

"Ok." Began Santana, "It all started when Quinn was dating Finn last year .."


	34. Chapter 34

Rachel was holding her breath, and she didn't really know why. If she was honest with herself, she felt like she had been holding her breath ever since Finn had crashed his way through that choir room door a little over a half an hour ago.

A million things raced through the diva's mind while Santana had gazed unseeingly out her windscreen, she hadn't meant to snap at the Latina. But this, the anticipation, this not knowing? It was slowly driving her insane. Or even more insane, she didn't really know anymore.

So she waited. Waited for the head cheerleader to collect whatever calm she needed to tell Rachel. She just hoped she could handle whatever it was. The brunette heard Santana turn her head and clear her throat, ready to tell her everything. So she did the only thing she could do. Breathe.

"It all started when they started dating last year .."

The diva nodded to indicate she was listening and the Latina continued, her voice softer than the shorter girl had ever heard it.

"Rachel didn't you ever wonder why McKinley Highs golden couple broke up? Why after all their hard work to cement their social status and publicise their relationship for it all to just fall apart."

The brunette frowned.

"Well I had assumed that Finn had ended his romantic entanglement with Quinn because he had finally realized his feelings for me." Stated the diva, glancing at the cheerio. "However judging by the look on your face I may have been mistaken. I assume your going to me tell me the real reason they parted so abruptly?"

The Latina nodded and took a deep steadying breath, before pinning her gaze on the steering wheel, seeing something the brunette did not. It was only after observing the fiery girl's glazed eyes that the shorter girl realized that she was reliving a memory.

"It was a few weeks before Sectionals" breathed Santana, eyes firmly locked in the past.

"After Puck blabbed about him and Quinn hoping up, to say the least Frankenteen didn't take it very well."

The brunette flinched, remembering the day as clear as anything.

"_What did you just say?" muttered Finn, eyes bouncing rapidly between Quinn's incredulous face and Puck's smug grin._

"_I said I sex with your girlfriend." Smirked the Mohawk-clad boy._

"_Quinn ..? Is this true?" exclaimed the furious boy pointing from her to Puck and back again._

_The blonde spoke through tears._

"_Yes." She took a step forward, towards the shaking form, "But I swear, It meant nothing to me, I didn't know what I was doing. I was drunk and we had ..we h-had that huge f-fight and-"_

"_Stop! Just shut up!" shouted Finn angrily "I can't even look at you right now" he spat before storming out of the room."_

"Yeah I remember. They had that huge fight in Glee." Said the diva quietly. "Finn told me he almost hit Puck, but he didn't want to be seen as "that guy".

She heard Santana snort beside her and shoot her a patronizing glance.

"Well I bet he didn't tell you what happened next did he Berry?"

The brunette shook her head.

"No." And motioned for the Latina to continue.

"Well your darling pacifist Finn called Q up that night. Said his Mom was gone and he wanted to come over so they could _talk."_

Rachel felt a chill go up her spine and couldn't explain why.

"So she went, thinking they would just work through it, like they usually did. Go back to being the golden couple again."

Santana paused in, what seemed like anger and Rachel had to prompt her to continue.

"So they didn't talk?" she gathered.

"Oh they talked alright." Muttered the Latina darkly. "He wanted to know all about what they did in bed you see."

The brunette shuddered lightly.

"Started asking her really weird questions and flipping out when she wouldn't answer. She got angry and tried to leave."

Santana's knuckles were white with fury at this point, her words coming fast and rushed together.

"He didn't like that see" she continued through gritted teeth "He blocked the door and shoved her onto the couch, he used his flab and pinned her down." Hissed the Latina obviously trying to keep it together. "She told me that he started unbuttoning her jeans, telling her how much of a slut she was and she deserved everything she got" spat the dark eyed girl, fire dancing in her pupils.

The shorter girl was holding her breath again.

"She realized what he was lying to do, and tried pushing he of, so he punched her in the stomach and head. She felt so dizzy that she didn't even try to put up a fight anymore." Snarled Santana balling her fists together in frustration.

Rachel was sitting ramrod straight in her chair, her eyes clenched shut at the onslaught of information. Without opening them she whispered.

"And ..d-did..did h-he"

"His mom came home early just as he was about to ..he pretended that Quinn had fallen over getting out of her car and hit her head" replied the Latina, knowing what the brunette had been to afraid to ask.

"Thank god." Breathed the diva, as she felt the waves of guilt crashing over her.

"Why didn't she tell anyone?"

"C'mon Berry, you know Finn. He put on the whole sweet boy act. Called her up crying said he didn't know what he'd been thinking. Begging her not to tell his Mom." The Latina laughed humourlessly.

"She told him she wouldn't tell anyone, if he promised never to do it again." Stated the Cheerio bitterly. "You know Quinn, all for giving people second chances and crap. Even if they don't deserve it. Plus she knew that if this got out people would treat her different and she didn't want that sort of attention, positive or negative."

"Well if she forgave him .." began the diva trying to put the piece together "then why act now and punish him?"

The Latina gave her an are-you-serious look.

"Think about it Berry. Who is the one person Quinn cares more about then anyone else. Even herself?"

The brunette shrugged.

"Her mom?"

The Latina actually face palmed.

"Her Mom are you serious? It's you. You idiot. Quinn for some reason is in love with you. And that's why she beat Finn up! Not only did he hurt the one person she cared about, but what he did brought back all those memories she had been trying to forget. And he broke his promise to her too."

The brunette still didn't get it.

"Look Berry, think about it this way, what would I do if Karofsky slushied me in the hallway?" asked the cheerleader.

"Probably hang him from the flagpole in his underwear and give him two black eyes for good measure." Commented the brunette, imagining the situation in her minds eye and smirking.

"More or less" chuckled the Latina before turning serious.

"And what would I do if Karofsky slushied Brittany in the middle of the hallway?" hinted the Latina.

"Rachel couldn't even begin to imagine the torture that would be rained upon that boy if anybody touched the blonde that Santana loved. Surely his body would be disposed of."

Suddenly she understood.

"Oh" she realized.

"Yes. "oh" Berry." Nodded the cheerio, glad the girl had finally understood.

Rachel felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"I need to see Quinn."

"Right again Berry. And whatever you do, it better be good." She stated before exiting the car and walking towards the awaiting Brittany.


	35. Chapter 35

Rachel raced home, pushing her ancient Volvo to it's very limit. All the while mentally berating herself for how she treated the blonde. She should have known that Quinn wouldn't have done a thing like that unless she had her reasons. And what Santana had told her was more than enough of a reason for revenge. She just wished the taller girl could have confided in her.

Then she realized, she had never given the other girl reason to trust her. She still didn't know how the brunette felt about her.

But that was going to change now. She thought adamantly, pulling into her driveway.

With a quick "Hi!" to her startled fathers the diva hurtled up the stairs two at a time and grabbed her most prized possession. She paused and nodded to herself vigorously in the star shaped mirror on her way back out of her bedroom. No more excuses, nothing was going to stop her now.

She once again blurred past her fathers with a barely audible "Bye." In their general direction.

Both men shook their heads and shrugged.

"Jason was she carrying ..?"

"Yes."

"And you don't think that we should ..?"

"No."

"Ok. Let's watch Funny Girl!"

The brunette sighed in relief when her father's didn't even ask why she was carrying the item with her and placed it in the passenger seat, before tearing up the road on a mission.

She reached Quinn's house in record time and wound her way up the spacious drive, until she was crawling along the shadows of the vast building. She plucked her phone from it's place in the dashboard and scrolled through her contacts, locating the familiar digits almost immediately.

She shoved the call button and pressed the phone firmly against her ear, her eyes registering the fact that both Quinn's parents cars were nowhere to be seen. Probably out drinking in some sleazy bar.

No answer.

She expected as much, if it was that easy then it wouldn't be worth it.

She grabbed the object from the seat and trudged towards the looming house. She rang the doorbell and waited expectantly ears straining for some sign of life.

No answer.

_Surprise, surprise._

She really didn't want to squeeze through the cat flap again. Shivering, she returned to her car and sent a quick text to Santana.

_Are you sure she's in there? The lights are all off and the cars are gone._

_-Rachel Barbara Berry._

Seconds later, the phone vibrated with a reply.

_Back of the house, second floor, third window to the right. It's her bedroom window. Be creative Berry. _

–_Santana._

The brunette huffed and once again left the warm confines of her car, lugging the item under her arm.

Crossing the immaculately kept lawn, the diva circled the building and looked up, counting. She set her burden down beside her and stamped her foot.

_Now what?_

Her eyes scanned the area and came to rest on a small pile of loose pebbles that had been chipped from the wall. Santana's words ringing in her ears. "Be creative Berry."

She really hated throwing things, she almost always succeeded in tossing the various objects back in her own direction. On one memorable occasion, was when she managed to chip her tooth whilst attempting to throw a frizz bee back to her Dad who was a mere six metres away.

She reluctantly scooped the rock fragments into her palm and took aim, her tongue darting out in concentration. She threw the first rock and immediately threw her hands over her head, screaming about teeth being important for Broadway stars. When it became clear that her teeth were in no immediate danger, she lowered her protective stance and tried again.

The second pebble hit the first window and clattered to the ground. She closed her eyes and inhaled.

_You can do this._

She opened her eyes and threw the final, somewhat bigger stone, it clipped the window and rebounded. She had just enough time to note that the light had turned on, when the rock collided with her forehead and knocked her out cold. She fell unconscious with an overwhelming sense of annoyance.

She awoke groggily, noting the soft feel of a bed beneath her heavy limbs.

_Damn rocks .._

Her eyes fluttered open and took in her surroundings slowly, she was in a bed. That was the only thing that registered in her brain at the moment.

She shifted and felt a warm arm brush her own. Startled, she leapt abruptly from the bed feeling rather un ninja-like as she got wrapped up in the various bedclothes. Eventually managing to free herself from the jumble of blankets, she switched the bedside lamp on, which cast an eerie glow on the now familiar bedroom.

She slowly glanced at the bed. Quinn rolled over and groped blindly at the space the brunette had lain mere seconds before. She sighed in her sleep and snuggled further into her pillow.

_How adorable._

She gazed at the sleeping blonde fondly, while her reason for being here was slowly coming back to her. Her eyes fell upon the jewel encrusted, pink battery powered CD player that she had brought with her, was now resting at the foot of the bed.

_This is so not the wooing I had in mind._

She wanted to woo the blonde goddamit! And that's exactly what she was going to do.

She traipsed to the bed and poked the cheerleader in the ribs.

No response. Naturally.

Biting her lip, she poked her even harder, eliciting a groan from the blonde.

The brunette huffed. The taller girl was stubborn even while she was asleep. Rolling onto the bed, she hovered over the blonde and gently tickled her nose.

This time, the Cheerio practically grunted, and reached up, grabbing the collar of the diva's shirt and pulling her into an unbreakable hug.

_Son of a .._

The shorter girl struggled and tried to worm her way out of the hold.

"Stop wriggling" came the sudden demand from the blonde.

The brunette froze.

"Y-your awake?"

"Yes. And those pokes hurt" complained the taller girl, eyes still firmly closed.

"Sorry." Replied the flustered brunette.

"Go back to sleep" came the mumbled response.

"I can't! I need to woo you!"

She felt the blonde snort and snuggle closer.

"Is that why you were throwing things at my window in the middle of the night?"

"P-perhaps." Admitted the brunette.

"I was trying to be romantic." Sniffed the diva unhappily.

The blonde's eyes shot open at the unhappy tone.

"Rachel, as I'm sure you have gathered from our current position, that I forgive you. So no "wooing" is needed." The taller girl chuckled slightly, indicating their close proximity. "You couldn't have known. I should have told you. I just ..wasn't ready to have you look at me with those beautiful eyes and see pity looking back at me."

"No Quinn, it was all my fault. I didn't once stop to ask myself why you did what you did. I wanted to sing you this song because it's important you know how I really feel about you" elaborated the diva, gazing at the blonde beside her.

"Ok." Whispered Quinn.

The brunette beamed and made a motion to get up.

"No" growled the blonde, pulling her back down.

"Quinn sweetie, I need my CD player to add the dramatic background music."

The cheerio shook her head.

"Sing it acapella. Your voice is gorgeous when it's _naked."_

The brunette blushed at the compliment and the innuendo. Settling herself in the circle of the taller girls arms, her gaze locking with the blonde's hazel eyes.

_**If your not the one, then why does my soul feel glad today? If your not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?**_

The brunette reached down and entwined her hands with the blonde's own.

_**If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call?**_

The diva brought their hands up to cover her heart. The cheerleader smiling as she felt it frantically beating beneath her palm.

The brunette returned her smile, pouring everything she had into the song.

_**I don't wanna run away, but I can't take it I don't understand. If I'm not made for you than why does my heart tell me that I am?**_

The tanned girl blinked and tears streamed slowly down her cheeks. A beautiful waterfall. She threw her arms desperately around the blonde's neck and pulled her impossibly closer, singing quietly into her ear.

_**Is their anyway that I can stay in your arms?**_

Quinn held the other girl, feeling completely overwhelmed by the onslaught of emotions. She had no idea the brunette would ever return her feelings, let alone return them so intensely.

_**And I breathe you, into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today.. Cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right.. And now I'm here with you tonight .. **_

_**You know my heart is by your side.**_

The brunette dragged out the last note until she had not an ounce of air left in her entire body. The two remained like that for a long time.

"I love you" breathed the diva.

The blonde sobbed and pulled back slightly the better to study the brunette's face, all she saw was unending love and honesty.

"I love you too."

They both fell asleep still whispering " I love you."


	36. Chapter 36

Quinn was the first to wake. She spent ten minutes simply gazing at the breath-taking girl asleep beside her. She couldn't believe this was actually happening, Rachel loved her back. She loved her. The girl in question shifted slightly in her sleep and rolled over, pulling the blonde whose arms were still wrapped firmly around her waist with her.

_She's mine ..she's mine._

Quinn broke into an eye-crinkling smirk. She was totally dating the hottest girl in school, everyone was going to freak out when they found out that ..

_That is ..if I'm ready to tell people. Am I ready? _

She switched her gaze back to the slumbering beauty, who scrunched her nose adorably.

_Your damn right I want everyone to know. I want to scream it from the rooftops, this girl ..this beautiful, amazing, talented girl? She's mine._

Deciding she would ask Rachel what she wanted to do about telling people when she woke up, the blonde gently untangled herself from the mass of limbs and went downstairs to make them some breakfast.

She was just putting the finishing touches to the food when she heard the brunette call her name from somewhere near the stairs.

"I'm in the kitchen" she shouted vaguely in the direction she assumed the diva was.

Seconds later, the groggy brunette entered the room, still in her bedclothes. Her hair tousled and her eyes still half lidded.

"Bed head is so sexy"

The diva blushed and took a seat at the table.

"What are you doing?"

"Cooking you breakfast." Replied the blonde , holding up her spatula as confirmation.

"You cook?"

The cheerleader rolled her eyes.

"Always the tone of surprise."

"Not surprised exactly .." muttered the diva surveying the apron-clad Quinn "more so ..flattered."

The blonde arched an eyebrow. "Me cooking for you makes you feel flattered?"

The brunette blushed, realizing what she had just said. "Well yes, nobody but my Dads and various fast-food chain workers have ever cooked me anything" admitted the pink girl.

"It's nice." She concluded, smiling shyly from under her lashes.

Quinn turned to face the shorter girl.

"I'll always cook for you." Confessed the blonde.

The brunette nodded.

"I believe this conversation got a tad deeper than simply discussing my eating habits."

The former head cheerleader nodded.

"Your right. I think we need to talk Rach."

"Me too." She confirmed, tilting her head adorably to the side.

The blonde gave the shorter girl a plate of food and set her own onto the table before taking a seat.

"What do you think about ..telling people. Y-you know about us?"

The brunette's head shot up.

"Oh. W-well I .." she sighed and glanced at Quinn before setting her knife and fork aside and rubbing her hands against her legs nervously. "Look Quinn I want to be with you, and I love the way I feel when I'm with you. And in some ways, I want to just scream it from the roofs that we are together and we love each other."

The blonde smiled but remained silent sensing a but.

"B-but, I just don't think I'm ready for people to know about us yet. I mean I understand if you want to tell Santana and Brittany, it's just, people are sort of nice to me now. Not kind exactly but ..more accepting I guess. And I have a feeling that if we came out we would be shunned down the pyramid so far that even the AV geeks will be ordering us around."

The cheerleader opened her mouth to retort before Rachel cut her off still rambling.

"And I k-know what your about to say. That we shouldn't care about popularity, and your right we shouldn't. I don't care what happens to me, but I couldn't just stand there and see you get slushied everyday for being with me. You might be OK with getting hurt, but I am not Ok with being the one who cause it. Can you understand that I care about you too much for that?"

Quinn studied the out of breath diva for a few seconds before slowly closing the distance and brushing their lips together slowly, savouring the moment. She ended the embrace after a few moments and pulled back slightly to gaze at the brunette.

"Whenever your ready."

Rachel studied the hazel eyes quickly.

"Thank you."

The blonde nodded slightly before they both began eating again.

"Oh but you know.." began the cheerio nonchalantly placing her empty plate in the sink before facing the shorter girl .."I totally want to christen the piano in the choir room too."

Rachel choked on her toast.

"Are you ready?" asked the blonde worriedly, unsure whether the smaller girl could handle this.

The brunette quickly pecked the cheerio on the lips and giggled.

"I'll take that as a yes." Smirked the cheerleader, before exiting the car and making her way to the other side, helping the other girl out.

"Such a charmer." Teased the brunette.

"Only with you." Replied the blonde smirking in return.

The duo entered the school, talking in low whispers until they reached the diva's locker.

"I guess this is goodbye" sighed the brunette sadly, trying to memorise the perfect face before her.

"For now." Winked the blonde, before disappearing into the crowd of milling students.

_God she's so sexy .._

"Rachel?"

...

"Berry?"

...

"Rachel Berry!"

"What?" squeaked the obviously startled brunette, trying to regain her breath.

"You do realize that the bell rang five minutes ago?" came the amused drawl from Kurt.

"Oh. The bell ..rang ..right! I just um ..thought I saw something purple over there .." mumbled the diva before slamming her locker and rushing to first period.

"Purple? Puh-lease that colour is so last year." Commented the gay fashionista before strolling leisurely to his first class. Fashionably late of course.

Rachel spent the remainder of the day trying to concentrate but failing miserably, all she could think about was how everyone would react if her and Quinn were to make their newfound relationship public. She wasn't completely honest with the blonde earlier, of course she didn't want the cheerleader getting hurt because of her. But the brunette was also scared, she was still a teenage girl in the midst of high school coming to terms with the fact that she was actually as gay as a window. And ironically, it took her former tormentor for her to realize it. God what was she thinking? She wanted people to know. She wanted to tell people that she was in love with Quinn.

Her eyes widened in shock.

_I can do this._

Quinn was distracted. She was in her final class of the day and when the bell rang she glanced at her notebook. She had done nothing but doodled her and Rachel's names within a heart all over the formerly blank page. She shifted her gaze to the left and right rapidly, before stowing the page deep within her schoolbag with a little smile. She was already crazy about this girl.

So, it was with a light heart, that the blonde practically skipped into Glee that day. At first glance the room was empty, then she spotted a flash of hair from the corner of her eye. She turned quickly to greet her fellow Glee clubber, before her mouth dropped open in shock.

"Finn? What the hell are you doing!"


	37. Chapter 37

**A.N: Firstly I would like to thank all of you for the review and support. And secondly I have decided to wrap up this story on chapter 40, I have an idea of how I would like it too end so I hope you will enjoy it. I am also in the process of writing another story which I hope to post shortly after the conclusion of this one. This chapter as always, is dedicated to Lola and Noel.**

"I believe .." said the blonde through clenched teeth, wandering dangerously close to the dumbfounded boy "I just asked you a question?"

She quickly took a mental snapshot of his deer-in-headlights expression, filing it away for future use when she felt the need to fantasize about kicking the shit out of him. The dopey quarterback looked up from his kneeling position on the floor and regarded the cheerleader with wary eyes. Her gaze shifted to his arm, because their resting in his outstretched palm was a small box, and inside resting against soft velvet was the telling glint of a ring.

Quinn's brain rapidly dislocated and she saw red, not even waiting for an answer she pointed at the shaking hand which held the offending item.

"Is that ..a ring?" she hissed, appalled at the very thought of him offering this ring to her girl.

She shook her head, trying to deny her own question even when she knew she was right.

"What the hell are you doing with a ring?" she spat, voice rising hysterically.

"You know what I have a better question for you! Why are you kneeling in front of Rachel with a ring for!" she screeched, almost blind with rage.

"I ..um ..I just wanted t-to.." he trailed off flicking his eyes to the ring in his hand and back to the now white-faced cheerleader.

The cheerio glanced at the ring then gazed at Rachel, who was standing completely still looking very much like a trapped animal.

"You wanted to what? Use your words corn boy!" snarled the blonde moving to stand beside the brunette and squeezing her hand, hoping for some sort of reassurance. Something to calm her down, before she did something she would regret. Actually, she wouldn't regret kicking his ass, that was kind of fun. But she would regret being expelled and kicked out of Glee Club, she didn't want to lose Rachel because of a moment of stupidity.

The shorter girl choose this moment to gently squeeze the blonde's trembling hand, and she felt the cheerleader relax slightly, though still glaring daggers at the kneeling boy.

The taller brunette stuttered again, gaze now firmly fixed on the ground, he seemed unable to form a coherent sentence.

_Oh dear God I think he actually might piss himself. What a loser. How in the world did I ever date him?_

"Rachel?" questioned the cheerio, gently turning the diva's face to meet her worried gaze. "Are you Ok? What did he do?"

Silence.

"What the hell did you do to her Finn?" spat the cheerleader viciously.

"What's it to you ..?" he muttered angrily.

"D-did you just ..say ..What's it? ..What's it to ME?"

Quinn was just about to let all hell loose, when the brunette suddenly jolted out of her self-induced coma and slapped the boy. Hard.

_Awesome. We'll totally double-team him. _

The blonde had a brief mental picture of the brunette tagging her in and the two of them going all WWF on his ass.

She was broke out of this fantasy by the injured party finally talking.

_Words? Hallelujah._

"Rachel what the ..?" spluttered Finn, swaying unsteadily.

"Quinn .." began the diva, suddenly switching to full on rant mode now that she had gotten over the shock of what Finn had tried to ask of her.

"In case you were wondering this.." she seemed to struggle for a moment, apparently trying to find the words to aptly describe the foolishness of the boys actions.

"..This idiotic chimpanzee was just asking me to accept his cereal box promise ring. "

The blonde raised her eyebrows at Finn.

_Who did he think he was? Sam?_

"And for your information you vile, loathsome little boy. It has everything to do with her, who's the one who rescued me from the swimming pool?"

"Well –" he stuttered, trying to get a sense of when this rant would ever end so he could escape.

"Quinn! Who's the one who protected me from Karofsky and all the slushies and name calling when I came back to school, when you were still my boyfriend I might add!"

"I tried talking to-" he mumbled half-heartedly.

"Quinn! Who's the one who made me realize what a popularity driven, sexist bastard you really are? That your some stupid little boy who has to hurt women to make himself feel like more of a man?"

"I-"

"Right again it was Quinn!" panted the brunette, now advancing towards the terrified boy.

"And who .." she began glancing softly at the blonde beside her, "is now my girlfriend, that I love more than I could ever have loved your sorry ass?"

"Quinn?" exclaimed the bewildered jock.

"Finally he gets one right." Deadpanned the brunette with a triumphant smirk, moving to stand beside the taller girl, who was regarding Finn with a smug grin from over the diva's shoulder.

Quinn felt her heart soar. Rachel had just admitted they were girlfriends, and to Finn Hudson no less. This was going to be all over the school by tomorrow. And she didn't even care. Rachel was hers and nothing and nobody was ever going to change that. Now all they needed to do was tell the rest of the Glee club, that shouldn't be too hard right?

*Cough*

The trio whipped around.

There, standing in the doorway was the entire Glee club, flanked on either side by Sue Sylvester and Mr Schue.

Kurt has a knowing smile gracing his lip-balmed lips. Tina and Artie are similar masks of confusion and shock, Puck is leering at the duo and Brittany and Santana are engaging in a quiet game of Thumb of War behind the teachers back. They knew Quinn, and they knew this would happen. To them love is love, whether it's between a boy and a girl or two people of the same gender.

Rachel blushed and began muttering something about remembering to lock the doors in future.

Quinn however took a different approach, smiling broadly she addressed the group.

"Yes you heard right, me and Berry are together. Anyone got a problem with that?"

Everyone shook their head, including Mr Schue.

"Any questions? ..Besides what our favourite sexual position is and whether we would be interested in a threesome Puck."

The Mohawk-clad boy put his hand down sheepishly, looking hugely disappointed.

"Got me" he muttered, smiling to indicate he was ok with this.

"Ok. Good." Stated the blonde beaming, and with that took Rachel's hand and pulled her towards their usual seats near the front.

"Ms Sylvester I know that you must hate me right now and I'm sorry but I'd rather be with Rachel than pretend to be someone I'm not just for the Cheerios" stated the girl quietly, locking eyes with the track suited women.

"Q, I'm gonna go ahead and stop you right there. Your still on the Cheerios, hell if I were to kick out every muff diver off the team then I would pretty much loose three of my best dancers" she raised an eyebrow at Brittany and Santana who were holding hands behind her back.

"Why I myself dabbled in my sexuality during college. While I don't particularly approve of your choice in lesbionic partner because, well let's face it she ain't no Amber Heard and she has an unhealthy obsession with all things puppy and argyle related. All I've got to say is I hope Berry's worth it." She ended her impromptu speech with a menacing glare at the brunette in question, who shrunk slightly behind Quinn.

"She is coach." Stated the blonde simply, smiling when she felt the diva rub her palm.

"Alrighty then. I've got to go buy myself a new kidney, see you later losers." With that final sentiment, Sue was gone.

There was a few seconds of stunned silence and everybody stood frozen in the doorway.

"Sit down." Murmured the blonde, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden.

The group immediately dispersed, each retreating to another part of the room, whispering about what had just happened. Kurt was having an absolute field day. Santana and Brittany were worriedly wondering how the coach had found out about their relationship, and Puck was still leering.

Mr Schuster took it upon himself to break the rather uneasy silence, that had begun once the cheerleading coach had took her leave.

"Ok guys today" he began, clapping his hands together to get their attention, it took a few minutes but eventually everyone settled down long enough for him to speak.

" I thought we would pick up where we left off the other day, who wants to perform their solo today?" he asked eagerly studying their faces one by one, as thought everybody was vying to sing after what had just happened.

Eventually Quinn raised her hand.

"Mr Schue, I know this won't seem as much of a surprised as I had intended it to be. " she paused glaring at Finn "but I would very much like to sing my song to Rachel."

The brunette smiled shyly and her eyes glistened in anticipation. She had no idea what the blonde was going to sing.

"Sure Quinn, get up here Rachel!" he teased, dragging a chair into the middle of the room facing the others.

The diva nervously made her way to the chair and sat down, eyes never leaving the taller girl.

Quinn herself, crossed the room and whispered her choice of song into Brad's ear. He nodded sagely and began to strum lightly on the baby grand piano before him.

The blonde closed her eyes and stood in front of Rachel, her back to everyone else as she poured her heart and soul into every word.

_**The first time, ever I saw your face I thought the sun rose in your eyes**_

The brunette blinked in a pleased sort of way and smiled encouragingly at the gorgeous girl in front of her.

_**The first time ever I kissed your mouth And felt your heart beat close to mine**_

The blonde touched her heart with an open palm which she then placed over the diva's frantically beating chest.

_**And the first time ever I lay with you And I knew our joy would fill the earth And last till the end of time my love**_

Rachel smiled at the word love and reached a hand towards the blonde, intertwining their fingers, not even bothering to look up as Finn cursed and quietly left the room.

_**The first time ever I saw your face, your face**_

_**Your face, your face.**_

The cheerleader dragged out the last few lines, cupping the girls cheeks and tracing her lips with a shaking thumb. Both girls had tears in their eyes.

"Q-Quinn ..that was ..really beautiful." Said the brunette quietly, scooping the girl into a massive hug.

The blonde embraced her fiercely and both girls began to cry.

Their moment was only broken when they heard clapping. They spun around to face the other Glee clubbers, who were giving them a standing ovation.

If there was ever any doubt as to how they would react to their relationship, everything was wiped clear now. Sure people would still try to break them apart and they would probably still get slushied. But knowing they had their friends on their sides was everything.

For the first time, in a long time they both felt like everything was going to be Ok.

They were floating.


	38. Chapter 38

**AN: As you can tell I've decided to skip on six months, hope it doesn't confuse you. This is leading up to their date. Review please! :)**

**XX**

Quinn watched the small brunette snuggle closer in her sleep. A slow smile creeping across her face.

She loved moments like this, when the diva was completely herself. Unguarded, looking for all the worlds like a peaceful child.

The blonde ran her fingers lightly over the girls face and traced the contours of her skin. Revelling in the softness, at the fact that she could do this. That this wonderful person was hers. That she's the only one that gets to see her like this.

The cheerleader exhaled happily and glanced at the bedside table. Laughing at the cat calendar the brunette had made which lay beside the alarm clock. She zoomed in on the twenty second of February, the date had been circled repeatedly, probably leaking through to the next page. Little hearts dotted all around the miniscule white box below the numbers.

Six months. Six wonderful, amazing and yes life-altering months. She never thought she could be this excited about something as trivial as an anniversary, it just wasn't her style to be sentimental with her boyfriends in the past. But with Rachel it was different. It was always different with Rachel. That's why she loved her.

The blonde and the entire Glee club for that matter had, had to endure weeks of listening to the brunette ranting about the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced relationship by celebrating the pivotal moment of when they first got together.

She called it "pruning the tree of love"

Quinn had to strive pretty hard in order to maintain a straight face whenever this particular subject was broached around her.

So that is why the blonde had, for the last two weeks, constantly kept a notebook and pen with her wherever she went, should inspiration come to her about what the hell this "special day" should entail.

She had eve resorted to asking the other Glee members for their help.

Santana and Brittany's suggestion to "do it like rabbits all night" had it's merits, which had intrigued her for an entire hour before she remembered Rachel's stipulation that they actually go out at some point during the day.

The same logic applied to Puck's suggestion that they "do it all night like rabbits while he filmed them from a dark corner of the room"

Kurt suggested way to many feathery concoctions, she had to tune him out when he suggested a zebra printed coat as a suitable present for the vegan.

Tina suggested that Quinn dress up as Edward Cullen and bite the brunette because "then she would be yours forever and it's totally romantic" Mike Chang and Artie both nodding enthusiastically in the background.

Quinn had actually gagged at that one.

She snapped out of her reverie when she felt the brunette shift beside her.

The blonde gently kissed the sleeping girl and slipped from the bed, hurriedly throwing on her clothes. She had a lot of stuff to do today.

Rachel stirred reluctantly from her sleep. Smiling as she unconsciously reached for the blonde beside her. She groped blindly for a few seconds before eventually conceding defeat and allowing her eyes to open just a slit.

The bed was empty.

The brunette's heart plummeted and she frowned at the unoccupied pillow.

Where the hell was Quinn?

She was just reaching for her cell phone when she heard a rustle coming from beneath the pink blanket.

Frowning deeply, she lifted the comforter and felt around beneath the warm covers. Her hand clasped shut around a sheet of paper and she pulled it out slowly.

Flipping it over, she discovered the cheerleader's writing on the other side. Small bubbly letters the diva would recognise everywhere.

_Good morning beautiful._

_I've left your rather comfortable bed because, I'm planning something amazing for our special day. So when your ready, go downstairs for your first (of many) presents. I'll be back later, but don't worry I've left my heart with you. _

_I Love You. –Q_

The brunette smiled and touched the page, tracing the words "I love you" this was a nice way to wake up. She could definitely get used to this.

Then something struck her. Presents! She bounded from the bed, immediately catapulting herself to the door and wrenching it open, skipping down the stairs impatiently.

Her fathers, who had been sitting on the couch in the sitting room watching TV, chuckled as the diva flew into sight, eyes darting rapidly out the room, trying to zero in on the elusive present.

"It's in the kitchen sweetie" chuckled Jason, deciding to put the girl out of her misery. Though deeply amused at his daughters behaviour.

She barely acknowledged their presence as she high-tailed it to the kitchen, slipping on the tiled floor and hitting the ground with a light flump.

"Honey?" came Marks concerned voice.

"I'm ok! I'm ok!" she screeched happily, leaping back to her feet with a grin.

She stopped short as her eyes fell upon the kitchen table.

There in the centre of the polished wooden board was a massive bouquet of roses. Another note stuck precariously out of the stems.

The diva beamed and ran to the table snatching the white envelope from the flowers.

_I will love you until the last one dies. And before you have a major panic attack. Yes the last one is a fake. But my love isn't. Now Kurt and Tina will be coming by to pick you up at exactly twelve o clock. To distract you while I plan great things._

_I miss you already. –Q_

The diva squealed like a five year old and glanced at the clock on the oven.

It was eleven fifteen. She needed to have a shower. And squeal. And squeal while in the shower!

She hopped lightly into the living room, smiling broadly at her fathers expectant gazes.

"She is totally whipped" announced the diva proudly, her heart lighter than air.

"No honey." Smirked her father, "you are both whipped."

The brunette nodded in agreement and suddenly remembered the time.

"I'm going for a shower!" she exclaimed before running up the stairs and into the bathroom, slamming the door a little too enthusiastically behind her.

She took the quickest shower known to man and rapidly jumped from the shower, sliding all over the bathroom on the wet tiles. She fixed her makeup and straightened her hair before exiting the bathroom and rushing to her room.

She picked a simple outfit, consisting of a red t-shirt and figure-hugging jeans. Needless to say, being Quinn Fabray's significant other had it's distinct advantages when it came to improving her dress sense. These days she was receiving a lot more people checking her out in the hallways then they had ever done before.

Just as she shoved her phone into her pocket and smoothed her shirt, the doorbell rang. She bounded happily down the stairs and relayed a quick;

"Goodbye!" to her dads.

She swung open the door and came face to face with the unlikely duo.

"Hey Rachel" they both chorused happily.

"Tina! Kurt! I believe you will be my captors for this afternoon?" she quipped, giving them each a brief hug in turn.

"We sure are sweet cheeks." Drawled Kurt, "I got my Dad's jeep so we're going to the mall!" he thrilled obviously in agreement with the Quinn-approved plan.

"Ok let's go!" squealed the overly-excited diva.

The duo watched her skipping happily towards the car and exchanged amused grins.

"Here it goes" announced Kurt, marching purposefully towards the car.

Tina merely smiled lightly and followed.

The threesome arrived at the local mall ten minutes later.

Kurt and Tina led the shorter girl to a salon and stopped at the entrance to the shop.

"A-are we going in?" questioned the brunette.

"Yes. But first, I have another sappy love note for you" the thing boy informed her, producing a small white envelope from inside his pea-coat.

They then entered the shop, giving her some privacy to swoon.

_I've made an appointment for you to get your hair and nails done. Because I love your hair and your fingers. __Omg that didn't come out right ... What I meant to say was ..._

_I love you? –Q._

The brunette chuckled lightly at the other girls lack of game and entered the shop excitedly.

Two hours and much squealing later, the brunette looked drop-dead gorgeous. The hairdresser had truly outdone herself, lightly curling the diva's hair so that it fell below her shoulders in a light wave, framing her face perfectly.

Her nails were primped and polished to within an inch of their lives. Her nails painted coal black. At Quinn's bequest apparently.

The diva was on cloud nine. Actually, she had in fact bypassed cloud nine and had taken up residence somewhere closer to cloud twenty five. She was practically floating.

The two, for lack of a better word, minders, brought the singer for a light lunch. And indulged her as she gushed about how perfect Quinn was.

They dropped her at home around six o clock and left her on the doorstep with knowing smiles on their faces.

The brunette bounded in the door, calling out for her Dads. She really wanted to gush some more.

No answer.

_They mustn't be home._

She thought vaguely, deciding to kill some time by watching TV. No sooner had she reached for the remote when she felt her phone vibrate beneath her.

Reaching back, she pulled the mobile from her pocket, jumping at the vibrating tremors.

From Quinn. Of course.

_I'm afraid I've exhausted my supply of romantic notes. Go upstairs._

_I Love You –Q._

The brunette sent a quick reply.

_I love you too._

Before bounding up the stairs two at a time and wrenching open the door.

There lying on the bed was an elegant black dress. It was gorgeous. The nails suddenly made sense to her.

Another note lay atop the fabric.

_Ooops guess I have one more note left. Try it on._

_I Love you. –Q._

The diva smiled and immediately stripped off her clothes, socks landing everywhere, and slipped on the dress. She looked amazing.

The dress hugged her figure perfectly, it stopped just above her knees, showing off her perfect legs. The plunging neckline drawing her eye immediately. She felt beautiful.

Suddenly her phone vibrate again. Who else but the woman she loved.

_I bet you look stunning._

The diva blushed and felt herself smile. She had to admit in that moment she felt beautiful.

_I must admit you have good taste in women._

She giggled, waiting for the reply. The phone pinged moments later.

_Turn around._


	39. Chapter 39

_Turn around .._

Rachel must have gotten whiplash from how fast she spun around. Her hair swirling elegantly through the air.

There standing behind her in a simple white dress, long hair falling gracefully about her face, was Quinn.

"Oh my .." breathed the diva, completely speechless at the beauty she saw before her.

The blondes eyes widened as she surveyed the stunned brunette.

"I knew that dress would look good on you," her hazel eyes twinkled devilishly, "You are so beautiful Rachel" she stated wonderingly.

The shorter girl blushed and took a step towards the cheerleader who was leaning casually against the door frame.

"Thank you Quinn." She smiled "and y-you ..well you look completely perfect." She whispered, gaze lowered shyly to the floor.

"Hey" said the blonde rapidly crossing the room and tipping the brunette's chin up to lock eyes with her. "Don't get shy on me now" she smirked, before pulling the diva in for a searing kiss, melting against each other.

Any onlooker would have agreed that the pair contrasted each other beautifully. Brunette and blonde hair twisting together, as the pulled themselves impossibly closer, pale skin meeting tanned cheeks as their lips collided again and again. The two dresses clinging to each other like their owners, the perfect blend of dark and light. Ying and yang.

Eventually breathing became a problem and they broke apart reluctantly. Panting, they rested their foreheads together.

"I missed you." Admitted the brunette.

"Baby, I told you. My heart is always with you." Smiled Quinn tenderly stroking the shorter girls tan cheek.

The brunette smiled and nuzzled closer.

"Who said anything about your heart? I missed your ass." Deadpanned the diva.

"You what..-?" began the blonde, pulling up short as she felt the brunette collapse into a fit of giggles beside her.

"Oh har har very amusing Berry. I'll remember that"

The diva could only continue laughing until she remembered this was their anniversary and sobered up, allowing only a few stray snorts to escape.

"So you bought me this pretty dress?"

The blonde smiled in the affirmative.

"Sent me to beautify myself along with my two captors?"

A nod. Yes.

"So ..now do I get to find out where we're going on this oh so romantic and thoughtful anniversary? The brunette asked, batting her eyelids innocently for effect.

The blonde smiled wickedly and leaned closer to the brunette, her lips ghosting the shell of the diva's ear causing her to shiver in anticipation.

"Follow me."

The brunette nearly swooned.

Quinn led the shorter girl by the hand, out the door and down the stairs, the lights were all off and it was pitch black. The brunette hadn't even bothered looking around when she came home, she just saw the couch and collapsed.

Now she saw candles had been placed all over the room in strategic hiding places.

_Quinn must have lit them while I was upstairs. Aww.._

Rose petals dotted the carpet and the brunette had a sudden vision of a frustrated Quinn fluffing all the pillows and tossing handfuls of petals in the air in order to make the room look nice, all the while trying to remain as quiet as possible so the diva wouldn't suspect. It was all extremely cute.

"Q-Quinn this is amazing! Your amazing! I-"

The blonde silenced her with a chaste kiss.

"Wait till you see what I have in the kitchen" came the seductive murmur, curling around her ears and tickling her cheeks.

The brunette grinned nervously and allowed herself to be led to the kitchen.

They entered the room and the brunette gasped aloud.

The table was covered in a crisp white linen, decorated with little pink hearts. Candles of all shapes and sizes were dotting the counter tops. White and black roses were scattered in various spots about the landscape of the room, complimenting their dresses perfectly. A bottle of champagne was resting in an ice-bucket at the centre of the table and their on two different plates were mouth-watering helpings of all the diva's favourite vegan food.

"Oh my god." Exclaimed the singer, her mouth hanging open.

"Do ..do you like it?" asked the blonde shyly.

The brunette shook her head slightly.

"D-do I like it?" she turned her gaping face from the table to face Quinn "are you freaking kidding me? This is the best .." she paused, her eyes tearing up slightly.

"Oh baby don't cry I can make something else if you don't like –"

"Quinn shut up."

The blonde immediately stopped talking, biting her bottom lip between her teeth.

The brunette held her hand and locked their gazes.

"Quinn this is ..the best thing anybody has ever done for me. I can't believe you went through all this trouble for me. I really don't deserve you. I think you are so amazing and this is just ..wonderful. I love you. I love you so much it hurts." She broke off, her voice heavy with emotion.

"I just wanted to show you how much I care about you Rachel. I don't know why you picked me, and I don't know how you fell in love with me. But I do know that you are the strongest, most amazing, most beautiful person I have ever and will ever know. Your the best part of my day, whenever Sylvester is making me do forty suicides or Santana is screaming at me for going soft do you know what I do?"

The brunette nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"I think about you. Just you, and your smile and your voice. And everything, the screaming the pain, it just ..fades away, disappears and I can deal. Your everything to me Rachel, my girlfriend, my best friend and my strength. I'm not trying to scare you ..but that's how I feel. And I want you to know that I am going to spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way."

The diva shook her head and looked at the floor trying to form a sentence.

"I want to say things to you, I want to say everything to you. But I'm going to wait until after dinner or else we will never get anything done because If you say another word I'm going to have to hold you and never let you go."

The blonde giggled and nodded, pulling the chair out for the shorter girl.

"Such a gentlemen" smirked the brunette, wiping her tears quickly and drooling at the plate in front of her.

"Only with you princess" replied the cheerleader, pouring two glasses of champagne and taking her seat at the table.

They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments, their gazes almost constantly roaming each other. Each mind in overdrive trying to keep from leaping across the table and taking each other right there and then.

_OMG Rachel's body in that dress I need to hit that._

"More champagne?" questioned Quinn mannerly.

_Oh god if Quinn leans over in that dress I will be unable to contain my rather frighteningly heightened sexual urges._

"No thanks sweetie" replied Rachel politely.

After they had finished eating the blonde strolled to the fridge and produced chocolate covered strawberries. The brunette rushed to help the cheerleader unload the items and promptly tripped, grabbing Quinn as she went down. The blonde yelped in surprise and they ended up landing in a heap on the ground.

"Oh Quinn I'm so sorry" mumbled the brunette miserably from somewhere beneath the blonde.

"That's Ok sweetie, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine thank you for asking."

The cheerleader giggled and pulled the tiny brunette into her lap.

"You are so adorable sometimes you know that?"

"Just sometimes?"

"Ok all the time."

"Better." Teased the singer poking her tongue out.

The taller girl placed a kiss to the diva's nose and smiled.

"Your cute too." Declared the brunette suddenly.

"No babe. I got swagger there's a difference." She winked cheekily.

"Modest much?" joked the diva attempting to rise from the floor unsteadily, looking for all the world like a new born deer struggling to stand up for the first time.

She had almost reached her full height when the blonde tugged her down once more, practically tucking the brunette under chin.

"Uh Quinn?"

"Uh huh?"

"Aren't we going to eat desert?"

"Yes."

"We need to stand to get the dessert."

"I got this."

The cheerleader stretched suddenly and captured the bowl of strawberries in her left hand bringing it to rest on their conjoined laps.

The diva was still looking perplexed.

"I didn't want to move." Explained the blonde grinning.

"Yeah I'm pretty comfortable now that you mention it." Smiled the brunette happily swatting the taller girls hands away from the strawberry she had been attempting to clinch.

"Rachel" complained the blonde.

"I want to do it" smirked the smaller girl reaching for the strawberry and swirling it around in the chocolate.

"Open up" she purred wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

The blonde giggled and bit the strawberry, moaning in contentment her eyes fluttering closed.

Quinn felt the brunette freeze and her eyes shot open. The diva was watching her with an indiscernible expression.

"What?"

Rachel just shook her head.

"C'mon what?"

"I ..It's just that was so hot"

"Oh" blushed the blonde.

The brunette giggled and ran her finger through the chocolate, dangling it dangerously in front of the girl trapped beneath her.

"But you know what would be much ..hotter" she grinned devilishly.

The cheerio swallowed nervously.

"W-what?" she murmured, eyes transfixed on the wayward finger.

The brunette put her lips against the blonde's ear.

"If I licked it off you." Purred the diva, swiping the chocolate over the blonde's lips.

She surveyed her handiwork then dove in, licking and nipping at the area.

Quinn moaned in surprise and opened her mouth, their tongues immediately fighting for dominance. She reached blindly and scooped some chocolate onto her finger, allowing it to drip slowly onto the brunette's exposed neck before tearing her mouth away from the diva's and attacking her neck, sucking the flushed skin and leaving her mark.

Rachel growled and threw her head back, wrapping her hands around the blonde's neck, her eyes rolling in her head with pleasure.

The blonde slipped her hand under the brunette's dress and trailed her nails down the panting girls thigh. The brunette fisted the cheerleaders hair urging her on, feeling the familiar heat coiling about her stomach. She was rapidly losing all self control and she didn't even care. She wanted this. Needed this. She needed ..Quinn.

The blonde started to move her hands all over the brunette's body, feeling every crevice, every slope. She slowly reached round the diva and zipped down the dress which she viewed as an obstacle that needed to be eradicated immediately.

Rachel, realizing what the taller girl was trying to do, sat up and shimmied out of the dress, it feel to her waist, exposing her black lacy bra.

Quinn immediately ran her hands over the toned stomach, watching in fascination as the muscles rippled and shivered beneath her touch. She slid her hands up to the brunette's heaving chest and kneaded her perfect breasts, eliciting a low moan from the girl. She wanted to hear that sound again and louder.

Reaching around once more she unclasped the brunette's bra and quickly tossed it aside, gasping at the perfection in front of her. Rachel's breasts were perfect. She had hid them for much too long beneath them puppy sweaters. The world needed to know. Actually no, It was much better if she was the only one who knew. She met the brunette's hypnotic brown eyes.

"Are you sure? Am I the one you want to lose your virginity with?"

The diva's eyes darkened with lust.

"Yes."

XX

An hour, and a lot of mess later, the two lay wrapped up on the floor completely exhausted, splattered with chocolate and bits of strawberry. The blonde was almost dozing off as Rachel stroked her hair comfortingly.

"That was .."

"Amazing yeah" sighted the brunette content.

"Well I was actually going to say messy" giggled the blonde. "But your also right." She chastised, kissing the diva's open palm.

"Charmer" muttered the star amused.

They lay like that for a few moments before Quinn heard the brunette gasp.

"Rachel what's wrong?" she asked gazing at the girls shocked expression.

"I never gave you your present!" exclaimed the tiny girl horrified.

"Rachel you didn't have to give me anything baby"

"Sssh!" scolded the brunette "do I need to say my pruning the love tree speech again"

"God no" stated the blonde feigning horror.

"Good now come upstairs so we can get clean" laughed the diva surveying the disaster zone around them.

"Only if you'll wash my back?" purred the blonde seductively.

Rachel shivered and they ran upstairs giggling. Slipping and sliding because of their chocolate covered feet.

The blonde made for the shower but Rachel stopped her.

"What?"

"I'm running a bath" winked the diva.

"Ohhh." Smirked the blonde, her eyebrows rising so far they were in danger of disappearing completely."

They kissed while the bath filled in the background and Quinn helped the brunette climb in before slipping in behind her, gently massaging her bath. Rachel picked up the lighter they always keep at the side of the bath and lit the candles that surrounded the tub. It was extremely peaceful. They were content to just hold each other for a while.

Then Rachel broke the silence.

"Quinn .."

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember when I told you I wanted to tell you exactly how I felt about you a while ago but I couldn't find the words?"

"Yes?" replied the blonde wondering what the brunette was getting at.

"Well .." began Rachel fidgeting with the rubber duck floating before her "I haven't always had a way with words"

The blonde immediately snorted.

"Ok Ok. What I mean is I haven't always had a way with expressing my feelings well. I can rant on about Barbra Streisand for hours but ask me how I'm feeling and I'll give you a one worded answer at best."

The cheerleader nodded. She had noticed.

"And well your so sweet telling me everything that's in your heart, and you know that I feel things deep, deeper than a lot of other people. And when I'm with you, I feel like I can be myself, that I can let you in, show you my flaws and you'll accept me anyway. Whenever I see you I completely forget about everything else around me and I can feel us connect even with just our eyes. When we kiss, I feel like I want to just crawl under your skin and stay there forever, etch my name on your heart. And you know I'm not the person to rush into things but I've been thinking. About me and you, a lot and I wanted to ask you something."

She stopped talking and pushed the duck towards Quinn which was floating on the surface. She waited for the brunette to continue, but when she simply batted the duck closer the blonde picked it up and studied it. Her mouth fell open.

Clasped gently in its beak was a ring.

"Rachel is this ..?"

"Marry me Quinn. I want you to be mine forever."


	40. Chapter 40

**A.N: Okay this is the final chapter. It's been some journey for me and this is the first story I have ever written, that's why I am so thankful for all the reviews and the story alerts and favourites I have received so thank you. I hope you enjoy it and I should be posting another story soon. **

"_Marry me Quinn. I want you to be mine forever."_

_The blonde felt her jaw drop and she lightly ran her hands over the small diamond circle that symbolised so much. Was she too young? What would her parents do? Did she want to spend forever with the girl she was holding in her arms?_

"_Q-Quinn ..please say something." Whispered the now panicky brunette "Look I-I k-know you must think this is really sudden and impulsive but I've been thinking about it for awhile now and to be honest there is nobody I would rather be with for the rest of my life. Your it Quinn, your the reason I wake up every morning with a smile on my face. Your the reason I feel protected and safe. And your the reason I never want to go to sleep because for the first time in my life, reality is better than my dreams."_

_The cheerleader suddenly sighed. She clenched her fist about the tiny engagement band and locked gazes with the nervous diva._

"_You are crazy." She stated calmly._

_The smaller girl's face crumpled in pain and she lowered her gaze to the bubbly surface of the bathwater. She could feel her heart clenching painfully and tears beginning to form in her eyes._

"_I understand that you wouldn't want to be stuck with someone like me fore-"_

_The brunette was silenced by the taller girl quickly placing a hand over her mouth and shaking her head._

"_You are crazy, because only a crazy person would think that I could ever say no to you. Of course I'll marry you, I've wanted to marry you from the first moment I looked into your eyes. I mean really looked, I think I was lost forever, I didn't really have a chance. I love you. I love you so much. And now your stuck with me" smiled the blonde, feeling tears of happiness flow down her cheeks, causing the water to rippled and shake between them._

"_Y-you will m-marry me? Is that a yes?" wondered the brunette, hoping that this wasn't some dream and her fathers would wake her up for school._

"_It's a hell yes!" giggled the cheerleader, crashing her lips against the stunned diva's._

_They finally broke apart when air became an issue._

"_Who shall we tell first? Omg I'm so excited! And you know we should talk about wedding songs because I have an extensive collection consisting of-"_

"_We will talk about all those things, but right now .." smirked the blonde, lowering her hand beneath the surface of the water and running her hand up the brunette's thigh "I would very much like to make love to my __**fiancée**__" she purred huskily._

"_Well then what are we waiting for .." smiled the diva wickedly, slowly pushing the blonde against the tub._

Quinn gazed at her ring proudly, that night was the best night of her life. Of course It was right that they should get married, she couldn't think of any other way she could be tied to the brunette, their minds, bodies and hearts were already in perfect harmony. So it was only natural that they be entangled in the eyes of the state too.

They had decided to wait a few years before getting married, there was no rush after all they had all the time in the world to organize the wedding, and with Rachel Berry behind the wheel, they would **need **a few years. At least they had their friends support. She remembered the day they told Glee club, it was one of the most nerve-wracking things she had ever had to do.

_The couple entered the choir room hand in hand, each dealing with their own set of nerves as they sat in their seats and awaited everyone's arrival. They nodded and smiled, exchanging pleasantries with everyone as one by one their fellow Glee clubbers entered the room. At last Mr Schue came in and shut the door behind him, almost halfway through one of his motivational pep talks when Rachel raised her hand._

"_And that's why I think a mash-up of Journey and Tupac would be perfect for ..Yes Rachel?" the teacher asked, genuinely shocked that somebody would interrupt him during his brilliant idea._

"_Mr Schuster If I may, me and Quinn would like to make an announcement" the brunette rattled off nervously, tucking her hair behind her ear and licking her lips nervously before glancing at the now stock still blonde beside her._

"_Um ..sure why not. The floor is yours"_

_The duo stood up and awkwardly made their way to the centre of the room, gazing at the expectant faces before them._

"_I would just like to say that-"_

"_Ugh Berry spare us the speech and just get to the friggin point, some of us have places to be" sniped Santana idly surveying the diva._

"_Yeah like in my room making out" deadpanned Brittany._

_The Latina blushed and fell silent, attempting to give Brittany the stink eye which resulted in the blonde grinning back completely oblivious._

_Quinn decided she needed to take control of the situation before she lost her nerve._

"_Okay, Brittany and Santana's sexual promiscuity aside, me and Rachel would like to let you guys know that over the weekend we .." she paused and felt the brunette squeeze her hand in support and suddenly felt calmer "we got engaged." _

_The room fell silent for a few moments and then .._

"_About time." _

_Everybody turned and gawped at Brittany. She realized everyone was staring at her and frowned._

"_What? It was kinda obvious their sort of perfect for each other, what's the point in waiting?" she reasoned._

_Everybody continued staring at Brittany. A few moments passed and then Santana smiled at the doe-eyed blonde in front of her before meeting Quinn's nervous gaze._

"_B's right. I'm happy for you guys." She said with a small smile before glaring at everyone._

_Quinn felt herself exhale in relief and knew that everything was going to be okay. If Santana understood, the others would._

_Sure enough, one by one the fellow Glee members stepped forward and offered each girl a congratulatory hug, wishing them luck before retaking their seats._

Quinn smiled at the memory and found herself gazing at a picture of them all, taken at Sectionals the year before. All smiling, all happy. She frowned at Finn in the back of the picture, lanky and awkward as usual. Since the day they sang the solo's to each other, neither girl had spoken to the quarterback and he actively avoided them, informing Mr Schue that he no longer wanted to do Glee Club because it just wouldn't do for the star of the football team to engage in such girly activities.

The blonde snorted and was suddenly glad she had beat the crap out of him, that jerk didn't deserve to kiss the ground Rachel walked on. He was a bully through and through and she only hoped that no other impressionable young girl fell under his dopey charm.

Their was nothing stressful about life these days, she had Glee, she had her friends and most importantly she had Rachel. Not having to worry about people's reactions had lifted a huge burden off her shoulders and she could finally breathe easy. The only dark cloud on the horizon for the blonde right now was the way her parents had reacted.

Her father had taken one look at the ring and his mouth had twisted into a sneer before demanding who "the boy" was. When the blonde had calmly informed him that the boy was in fact a girl. Rachel Berry with the two gay dads no less, he had predictably hit the roof and thrown her out, as her mother stood idly by, eyes glazed over as a result of the half empty whiskey bottle on the coffee table no doubt.

Even then Quinn wasn't broken. She had simply packed her things and moved in with Rachel, they were engaged after all it made sense. The Berry's had lovingly accepted Quinn into their home and the blonde finally felt what it was like to be part of a real family. Accepted for who she was and not who she was expected to be.

She had been living with the Berry's for almost three months now and life couldn't be happier. But as she sat in the bed that her and Rachel shared, the familiar panic gripped her. Rachel had been accepted into NYU and they were anxiously awaiting to hear whether or not Quinn got in. They had both promised to stay together no matter what, but everything would be so much simpler if they could just go to college together.

And that's why she was sitting in their room, her legs jingling nervously as she awaited the arrival of the morning post.

She turned on her IPod and slipped the small buds into her ears, laying back and allowing the music to take over. She pictured the diva's smiling face and felt her body relax immediately.

The next thing she knew she was being gently shaken.

"Quinn? Quinn baby wake up."

"Wh-what?" mumbled the blonde around a huge yawn.

"The letter ..i-it's just arrived, Daddy just found it." Stammered the brunette obviously nervous.

"Oh." Replied the blonde, bolting upright and zeroing in on the white envelope which determined her future for the next few years.

The diva wordlessly handed the envelope over and they both sat staring at it for a few minutes. Eventually the taller girl ripped the envelope open and held the letter in her hands, though she was staring at Rachel intently.

"Rachel whatever happens ..I want you to know that you won't lose me. We'll stay together ..somehow. I promise. I love you."

The brunette placed her hand against the blonde's cheek and sighed.

"I know. And I love you too."

They met in a brief kiss, full of reassurance and promises they couldn't voice.

Eventually the ex-cheerleader flipped open the letter and began to read, then she dropped the piece of paper and looked at the brunette.

"Quinn?"

"Yes.."

"What's wrong?"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"I got in ... We did it ..I got IN!"

"YES!"

**The end.**


End file.
